In Los Angeles, a legal battle has been initiated by 35 individuals, including pro-Palestinian students, faculty, legal observers, journalists, and activists, against the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). This group has filed a lawsuit concerning the university’s management of demonstrations that took place last year amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. The lawsuit was lodged last Thursday and follows on the heels of another lawsuit backed by the Trump administration, which was filed in June by Jewish students and a professor against UCLA. This separate case accuses the university of failing to protect them from pro-Palestinian activists.
The protests at UCLA were part of a broader movement that spread across campuses nationwide, targeting the conflict between Israel and Hamas. These demonstrations underscored growing tensions in academic environments over the conflict’s geopolitical implications. Recently, the Trump administration has embarked on new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at various institutions, including Columbia University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, and Portland State University.
In April, UCLA found itself the epicenter of protests that tested the university’s administrative response. A significant escalation occurred on April 20 when a group of counterprotesters violently dismantled a pro-Palestinian encampment set up on campus. According to the lawsuit, UCLA allegedly failed to protect demonstrators during this attack. This group of counterprotesters, some wearing masks, others draped in Israeli flags, and armed with fireworks, hammers, and baseball bats, assaulted the encampment while disturbing sounds played in the background.
The attack left several protestors injured as it unfolded during an uncovered gap between the departure of private security and the arrival of law enforcement. The lawsuit vividly describes the chaos, recounting the extreme violence witnessed by the encampment members, including individuals sustaining serious injuries and the atmosphere of panic as fireworks created further mayhem.
UCLA has yet to respond to the lawsuit, as no comment was provided on Friday. The incident led to significant institutional changes, such as the reassignment of the campus police chief and the establishment of a new campus safety office. A subsequent attempt to re-create the encampment faced blockage.
In addition to naming UCLA as a defendant, the lawsuit also includes the Los Angeles Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, and 20 individuals identified as members of the “mob.” It seeks financial restitution for the physical and psychological harm endured by the protestors.
Further complicating matters, last June, another lawsuit by three Jewish students and a professor accused UCLA of allowing pro-Palestinian demonstrators to impede their access to educational facilities. These students alleged they faced discrimination due to their religious beliefs and that the university did not maintain equitable campus access for all its students.
In response to this allegation, a federal judge had previously issued a preliminary injunction to prevent pro-Palestinian activists from blocking Jewish students from accessing classroom facilities. Building on this, the Trump administration on Monday submitted a brief supporting the Jewish students and professor, underscoring the gravity of the allegations against UCLA.
Mark Rienzi, president of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and attorney for the Jewish students and professor, issued a statement emphasizing that university officials who do not adequately address anti-Semitic actions will be held accountable. He called this legal intervention a critical warning to all universities, emphasizing that Jewish students and faculty should not have to endure such fear and hostility on grounds meant for learning.
