A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), prohibiting the institution from allowing anti-Israel protesters to block Jewish students from accessing campus facilities. This ruling is the first of its kind, addressing the escalating tensions on American college campuses in the wake of protests against the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The case was brought forward by three Jewish students who filed a complaint against the Regents of UCLA in June. The students argued that the university had failed to protect their rights and ensure their safety during protests that erupted earlier this year. These protests, which spanned from late April to early May, saw pro-Palestinian demonstrators setting up an encampment in the heart of the campus, effectively creating what the plaintiffs described as a "Jew Exclusion Zone."
According to the complaint, protesters set up barricades and demanded that individuals passing through the area declare their support for the activists' views on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Those who complied were given wristbands allowing them to pass, while those who did not, particularly Jewish students who supported Israel, were barred from entering the area. This exclusion effectively denied these students access to key parts of the campus, including major quads and courtyards.
U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi, who presided over the case, strongly condemned the university's handling of the situation. "Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith," Judge Scarsi wrote in his ruling. "This fact is so unimaginable and so abhorrent to our constitutional guarantee of religious freedom."
The judge further stated that if any part of UCLA's campus becomes inaccessible to Jewish students due to such protests, the university must cease providing those programs and facilities to all students. The ruling also emphasized that the exclusion of Jewish students on the basis of their religious beliefs concerning Israel is unacceptable and must be prevented in the future.
The protests that led to the lawsuit were eventually dispersed by law enforcement, but the judge's ruling underscores the ongoing risks that Jewish students face on campus. Despite UCLA's efforts to address the situation, including the creation of a new Office of Campus Safety, Judge Scarsi noted that these changes do not sufficiently mitigate the risk of future incidents.
In response to the ruling, UCLA spokesperson Mary Osako expressed concern that the decision could limit the university's ability to manage campus events and meet the needs of the broader student community. "UCLA is committed to fostering a campus culture where everyone feels welcome and free from intimidation, discrimination, and harassment," Osako said in a statement.
The ruling comes amid a broader wave of anti-Israel protests on college campuses across the United States, sparked by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. These demonstrations have increasingly raised concerns about the safety and inclusion of Jewish students, leading to legal challenges like the one at UCLA.
Yitzchok Frankel, a UCLA law student and one of the plaintiffs in the case, welcomed the judge's decision. "No student should ever have to fear being blocked from their campus because they are Jewish," Frankel stated. "I am grateful that the court has ordered UCLA to put a stop to this shameful anti-Jewish conduct."
