Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, George Washington (GW) University has made the decision to temporarily suspend the pro-Palestine group, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), due to their anti-Israel messages projected on campus.
In a statement sent to The Hill, the university specified that the actions of SJP violated university policies, leading to the immediate prohibition of SJP from engaging in any campus activities for the next 90 days. Additionally, SJP is barred from posting communications on university property until May 20, 2024.
The controversial projections, which included messages such as “Divestment from Zionist genocide now” and “Free Palestine From the River to the Sea,” sparked national attention and drew condemnation from political figures like Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.).
Moskowitz, who is an alumnus of GW, urged the university to conduct an investigation into the matter, expressing anticipation for an official statement from GW. Meanwhile, a representative for SJP told The GW Hatchet, a student newspaper, that the university’s decision to bar them from campus organizing did not come as a surprise, attributing it to a response to a wave of backlash and repression towards Palestinian organizing.
Notably, the suspension of SJP at GW follows a similar decision by Columbia University to suspend SJP through the fall semester. The Hill has reached out to SJP for comment.
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