A lawsuit was filed by two Jewish organizations on Tuesday against the University of California (UC) system, UC Berkeley, and school administrators over claims of unchecked spread of antisemitism at UC Berkeley.
Filed in the Northern District of California, the 37-page suit by the Louis D. Brandeis Center and the Jewish Americans For Fairness In Education (JAFE) alleges antisemitism has taken root at the UC Berkeley School of Law for over a year.
In response to the recent conflict in Gaza, the lawsuit argues that intervention is crucial following a surge in antisemitic incidents reported in the U.S. and Europe.
The suit specifically accuses nearly two dozen student organizations at UC Berkeley Law of implementing policies that go against the Jewish identity of students, citing examples of coercion to support the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement.
The complaint highlights the university’s failure to address discriminatory practices towards Zionist students and seeks action against the hostile environment on campus.
It further emphasizes that these practices violate the university’s nondiscriminatory policies and requests the court to ensure even-handed enforcement.
Additional allegations in the suit include antisemitic incidents on campus, including hate emails and physical attacks against Jewish students, for which the school has allegedly not taken appropriate action.
Named defendants in the lawsuit include UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ, UC Berkeley President Michael Drake, and other UC Berkeley officials.
The suit comes amid heightened tensions over the Israel-Hamas war, which has led to protests and counter-protests on college campuses across the U.S.
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