UCLA can't allow protesters to block Jewish students from campus, judge rules

Date:

Share post:


LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the University of California, Los Angeles, cannot allow pro-Palestinian protesters to block Jewish students from accessing classes and other parts of campus.

The preliminary injunction marks the first time a U.S. judge has ruled against a university over the demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war on college campuses earlier this year.

U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi’s ruling came in a lawsuit filed in June by three Jewish students at UCLA. The students alleged that they experienced discrimination on campus during the protest because of their faith and that UCLA failed to ensure access to campus for all Jewish students.

“In the year 2024, in the United States of America, in the State of California, in the City of Los Angeles, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith.” Scarsi wrote.

UCLA argued that it has no legal responsibility over the issue because protesters, not the university, blocked Jewish students’ access to the school. The university also worked with law enforcement to thwart attempts to set up new protest camps.

Scarsi ruled that the university is prohibited from providing classes and access to buildings on campus if Jewish students are blocked from it.

Yitzchok Frankel, a UCLA law student who filed the lawsuit, celebrated the order.

“No student should ever have to fear being blocked from their campus because they are Jewish,” Frankel said in a statement. “I am grateful that the court has ordered UCLA to put a stop to this shameful anti-Jewish conduct.”

UCLA spokesperson Mary Osako said the ruling “would improperly hamstring our ability to respond to events on the ground and to meet the needs of the Bruin community.”

The university is also considering all available options moving forward, she said.

“UCLA is committed to fostering a campus culture where everyone feels welcome and free from intimidation, discrimination, and harassment,” Osako said in a statement to The Associated Press.

The ruling came after Scarsi ordered UCLA last month to create a plan to protect Jewish students. The University of California, one of the nation’s largest public university systems, is also working on systemwide campus guidelines on protests.

The demonstrations at UCLA became part of a movement at campuses across the country against the Israel-Hamas war. At UCLA, law enforcement ordered in May that over a thousand protesters break up their encampment as tensions rose on campus. Counter-demonstrators had attacked the encampment overnight and at least 15 protesters suffered injuries. In June, dozens of protesters on campus were arrested after they tried to set up a new encampment.



Source link

Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams is a writer and editor. Angeles. She writes about politics, art, and culture for LinkDaddy News.

Recent posts

Related articles

Former CIA analyst pleads guilty to leaking info on planned Israeli attack on Iran

Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always...

Solar Wind 'Stopped Blowing' On Mars For 2 Days

For two days in the December the solar wind suddenly stop on Mars and its atmosphere on...

Former Kentucky sheriff accused of killing a judge appears remotely from jail during court hearing

A former Kentucky sheriff accused of gunning down a judge last year, stunning their tight-knit Appalachian community,...

A doctor accused of sexual abuse by more than 200 former patients is indicted on rape charges

A grand jury in Massachusetts has indicted a doctor who is accused of sexually assaulting more than...

CNN found liable for defaming US Navy veteran who helped people evacuate Afghanistan

By Jack Queen(Reuters) - A Florida jury on Friday found TV news provider CNN liable for defaming...

Stocks could be 'protected' from steep declines by Trump: BofA

US stocks have looked sluggish at times over the past several weeks as...

Vistra's battery storage facility goes up in flames, spurs evacuation orders

(Reuters) - One of the world's largest battery storage facilities is being consumed by flames near San...

Polar vortex set to freeze the U.S. as far as the Deep South

With the Northern Hemisphere well into the winter months, it may seem like temperatures are cold enough...