{"id":2607054,"date":"2026-05-26T17:09:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T21:09:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-sues-ucla-for-fostering-hostile-antisemitic-environment-for-students\/"},"modified":"2026-05-26T17:11:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T21:11:52","slug":"doj-sues-ucla-for-fostering-hostile-antisemitic-environment-for-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-sues-ucla-for-fostering-hostile-antisemitic-environment-for-students\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ sues UCLA for fostering &#8216;hostile&#8217; antisemitic environment for students"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdoj-sues-ucla-for-fostering-hostile-antisemitic-environment-for-students%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2607054&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The U.S. Department of Justice sued UCLA on Tuesday, alleging the university allowed a \u201chostile educational environment\u201d for Jewish and Israeli students during and after pro-Palestinian campus protests following Hamas\u2019s Oct. 7,2023,attack on israel. The DOJ says UCLA violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by showing \u201cpurposeful indifference\u201d to antisemitic harassment, assaults, and exclusionary activity.<\/p>\n<p>According to the complaint, masked protesters physically blocked Jewish students from entering campus areas, assaulted students carrying Israeli flags, and created what the filing calls \u201chuman phalanxes\u201d around an anti-Israel encampment outside Royce Hall in april 2024. The DOJ also alleges demonstrators engaged in severe violence-including kicking and striking jewish students, beating some with sticks, and using pepper spray-and that one student was allegedly knocked unconscious and hospitalized.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit contends UCLA administrators failed to meaningfully intervene despite repeated warnings, over 100 complaints, and concerns that students faced danger while trying to attend class. It further describes broader post-Oct. 7 antisemitic incidents, including chants, vandalism, and protests targeting materials related to Israeli hostages, while alleging university leadership allowed the encampment and related denial of access to continue.<\/p>\n<p>The federal government is seeking court-mandated reforms to UCLA\u2019s anti-discrimination procedures, compliance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-blue-state-claw-back\/\" title=\"Biden\u2019s Blue State Claw Back\">civil rights law<\/a>, and recovery of federal funds. The case builds on earlier DOJ findings from July 30, when the department concluded UCLA violated Title VI and the equal protection clause after determining the school did not adequately respond to severe harassment toward Jewish and Israeli students. UCLA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Justice Department<\/a> sued the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ucla\/\">University of California, Los Angeles<\/a> on Tuesday, accusing UCLA of fostering a \u201chostile educational environment\u201d for Jewish and Israeli students during and after the wave of pro-Palestinian <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JevsLt2gVlY\">campus protests<\/a> that erupted following Hamas\u2019s Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/crt\/media\/1442381\/dl?utm_medium=email&#038;utm_source=govdelivery\">53-page lawsuit<\/a>, filed in federal court in the Central District of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\">California<\/a>, alleges UCLA violated Title VI of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/civil-rights\/\">Civil Rights Act<\/a> by acting with \u201cdeliberate indifference\u201d toward <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/antisemitism\/\">antisemitic<\/a> harassment, assaults, and exclusionary conduct directed at Jewish and Israeli students. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/4577005\/states-lawsuit-trump-administration-student-loan-cap\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Twenty-five states sue Trump administration over student loan cap for graduate programs<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/4570670\/wisconsin-school-district-contract-dei-educational-counselor\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Wisconsin school district signs six-figure contract with DEI educational counselor<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/4570776\/homeschool-advocate-warn-connecticut-bill-tighten-regulation\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Homeschool advocates warn Connecticut bill tightening regulations misses the point<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Demonstrators clash at an encampment at UCLA late Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. Dueling groups of protesters have clashed at the University of California, Los Angeles, grappling in fistfights and shoving, kicking, and using sticks to beat one another. (AP Photo\/Ethan Swope)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the complaint, masked protesters and demonstrators at UCLA physically blocked Jewish students from entering parts of campus, assaulted students carrying Israeli flags, and established what the lawsuit described as \u201chuman phalanxes\u201d around an anti-Israel encampment erected outside Royce Hall in April 2024. <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEarlier this year, we sued UCLA for subjecting its Jewish and Israeli employees to an antisemitic hostile work environment,\u201d Assistant Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/harmeet-dhillon\/\">Harmeet Dhillon<\/a> said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. \u201cNow, the Department of Justice calls UCLA to account for its toleration of the equally appalling hostile educational environment against its Jewish and Israeli students.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Today, the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CivilRights?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@CivilRights<\/a> Division <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TheJusticeDept<\/a> filed a lawsuit against UCLA for its failure to take action against discrimination of Jewish and Israeli students\u2014a blatant violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. <br \/>The Division is committed to ensuring that students of all\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AAGDhillon\/status\/2059338927090081911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 26, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The lawsuit alleges demonstrators \u201ckicked and slapped Jews, beat Jews with sticks, and assaulted Jews with pepper spray,\u201d while one Jewish student was allegedly \u201cknocked unconscious\u201d and hospitalized with a head wound. \ufffc<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Federal officials also pointed to allegations that protesters created checkpoints around the encampment and denied passage to students unless they agreed with anti-Israel political demands. The complaint cited instances in which students wearing Star of David necklaces or kippahs were allegedly denied access to campus walkways and buildings. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The suit further alleged that UCLA administrators failed to meaningfully intervene despite repeated warnings and over 100 complaints involving antisemitism and anti-Israeli bias. The complaint accused UCLA leadership of choosing a \u201cdo-nothing de-escalation strategy\u201d even after campus officials allegedly knew Jewish students risked assault while attempting to attend class.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUniversities have an obligation to maintain safe and inclusive campuses for all students,\u201d First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The complaint also detailed a broader pattern of alleged antisemitic incidents on campus following the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/october-7\/\">Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack<\/a>, including chants of \u201ckill the Jews,\u201d vandalism featuring swastikas and anti-Jewish graffiti, and demonstrations where <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >masked protesters allegedly tore<\/a> down posters of Israeli hostages, all while university leadership \u201callowed the encampment and related denial of campus access to continue.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>contacted UCLA but did not immediately receive a response.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DOJ is seeking court intervention compelling UCLA to reform its anti-discrimination procedures and comply with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-justice-department-pick-helped-kill-pipeline-favored-by-key-senator\/\" title=\"Biden Justice ... Pick Helped Kill Pipeline Favored by Key Senator\">federal civil rights law<\/a>, in addition to the recovery of federal taxpayer funds awarded to the university.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The lawsuit <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/3486354\/doj-ucla-ish-students-civil-rights\/\">builds on findings the DOJ announced<\/a> on July 30 last year, when it concluded UCLA violated Title VI and the equal protection clause by failing to adequately respond to \u201csevere, pervasive, and objectively offensive harassment\u201d against Jewish and Israeli students.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The lawsuit marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration\u2019s broader crackdown on antisemitism allegations at elite universities following the Israel-Hamas war and campus protest movement. It also marks a new wrinkle in the wave of litigation UCLA has faced in the last two years, after the university <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/us-news\/ucla-rocked-competing-claims-antisemitism-anti-palestinian-bias-rcna176886\">also faced dueling complaints<\/a> by the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/aclu\/\">American Civil Liberties Union<\/a> for allegedly failing to address a rise in both antisemitic bias and failure to address alleged bias against pro-Palestinian activists among its faculty and student body.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4557924\/doj-ucla-race-based-admission-medical-school\/\">DOJ SAYS UCLA USED RACE-BASED ADMISSIONS FOR MEDICAL SCHOOLS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week, the DOJ announced the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/justice-department-announces-formation-advisory-committee-anti-semitism\">formation of a new advisory committee<\/a> that will work closely with the attorney general on strategies to combat rising antisemitism nationwide. DOJ officials also said the federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism would participate in a 15-city <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/federal-task-force-combat-anti-semitism-announces-15-city-national-awareness-action-tour\">\u201cNational Awareness and Action Tour\u201d<\/a> aimed at strengthening interfaith opposition to anti-Jewish hatred and violence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">UCLA has also faced separate DOJ scrutiny <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4557924\/doj-ucla-race-based-admission-medical-school\/\">over its medical school admissions policies<\/a>. In May, federal investigators <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-cdca\/pr\/justice-department-investigation-determines-uclas-medical-school-discriminated-based\">concluded<\/a> that UCLA\u2019s David Geffen School of Medicine improperly considered race in admissions decisions, findings the university has disputed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Justice Dept. sues UCLA over hostile environment for Jewish Israelis students<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2607055,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP24122428229406.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[7053,37886,43068,11938],"class_list":["post-2607054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-antisemitism","tag-campus-safety","tag-doj-lawsuit","tag-ucla"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP24122428229406.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607054","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2607054"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607054\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2607058,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607054\/revisions\/2607058"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2607055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2607054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2607054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2607054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}