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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) designated the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), George Washington (GWU) and Emory as "institutions of particular concern" due to their creation of a hostile campus environment for Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish and other students, faculty and staff who oppose the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
At a press conference, the organizations noted that in a May report sent to 600 university administrators prior to the announcement of the designation, CAIR detailed violations of freedom of expression and the rise of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism against student protesters against genocide at more than 30 universities.
Among the most egregious incidents of violence, they said, were those against students at GWU, UCLA and Emory University.
"While anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab and anti-Muslim racism has been pervasive on American universities, these three institutions have set the tone for creating an absolutely hostile and dangerous environment for students, faculty and staff who oppose genocide, especially members of the Muslim and Palestinian communities," said CAIR's director of research and advocacy, Corey Saylor.
"We urge students considering these three universities to consider other institutions where freedom of expression and academic freedom are respected values and not just empty words," he said.
Saylor added that these three universities are just the tip of the iceberg. "Today is about focusing attention on the issue. In the coming weeks, we hope to designate many more universities and colleges."
Georgetown University, which was the subject of a federal investigation into Title VI violations for anti-Palestinian activities, suspended its Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter in November 2023 and attacked its student leaders, the organizations recalled.
They also said that in May, the university authorized law enforcement to destroy the student sit-in against genocide, or “protest camp,” during which police destroyed students’ Islamic materials such as prayer rugs and English translations of the Quran.
In April, they noted, Georgetown University was sued over the alleged activities of a prominent faculty member who “is linked to numerous anti-Muslim think tanks in the United States and Europe and has published in several anti-Muslim media outlets,” according to a Georgetown University report.
In the UCLA case, they said police had thrown flares, fired rubber bullets and tear-gassed students protesting at the sit-in on campus. A day before the attack, police had stood by for hours as pro-Israel counterprotesters beat peaceful students with sticks and wooden planks, set off fireworks at the encampment and allegedly threatened to murder and rape UCLA students.
At Emory, Muslim and Palestinian students, they said, had reported for months that they had been subjected to racist comments from students, faculty and staff, while administrators justified the harassment by telling students that "when students say 'Free Palestine,' they are associating themselves with terrorism."
In that regard, they noted that in April, Emory's administration authorized the use of stun guns, tear gas and rubber bullets against student protesters and other members to dismantle a peaceful sit-in, while in May, the Office of Civil Rights of the United States Department of Education opened an investigation into the university following a complaint filed by CAIR-Georgia and Palestine Legal.
They noted that CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, improve understanding of Islam, promote justice and empower American Muslims, while ADC is a civil rights organization committed to defending the rights of people of Arab descent and promoting their rich cultural heritage.
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