The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Tuesday that George Washington University (GWU) has violated federal civil rights laws, accusing the school of being “deliberately indifferent” to antisemitism on campus.
The DOJ claims that the university did not take "meaningful action" to address antisemitic incidents, which led to harm for Jewish students and faculty members. In its letter to the school, the department pointed out that Jewish students felt intimidated and fearful during a pro-Palestinian protest held on campus last spring, with multiple students reporting instances of harassment and even physical assault by protesters.
The DOJ is now demanding “immediate remediation” from the university, warning that failure to act could result in the loss of federal funding.
“Every student deserves an equal opportunity to learn in an environment free from harassment and discrimination,” said Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. “Universities that tolerate antisemitic behavior will face legal repercussions.”
This move follows a similar action under the Trump administration, which withdrew $500 million in federal funding from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) after discovering antisemitism on campus. The administration is now pushing for a $1 billion fine from UCLA, along with other penalties, in order to reinstate federal funds.