Pro-Palestinian students, faculty sue University of California, Los Angeles: Here’s why

Over the past few weeks, the US education sector has witnessed significant developments. In a recent update, a group of pro-Palestinian students, faculty members, legal observers, journalists, and activists filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), over its handling of last year’s anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, comes just days after the Trump administration joined a separate lawsuit filed in June by Jewish students and a Jewish professor, accusing the university of failing to protect them, as reported by The Times of Israel.
The demonstrations at UCLA were part of a broader movement last spring on campuses nationwide against the Israel-Hamas war, which was sparked by the terror group’s attack on October 7, 2023. Several Jewish students on campus have reportedly stated that they felt unsafe due to antisemitic statements and banners displayed at the demonstrations. In February, the Trump administration launched investigations into allegations of antisemitism at multiple universities, including Columbia University and the University of California, Berkeley.
As reported by The Times of Israel, the student encampments at UCLA drew heightened scrutiny last April when campus police failed to act promptly as protesters set up physical barricades, preventing pro-Israel students from crossing. Instead of intervening, school security advised Jewish students to avoid the encampments.
The lawsuit further alleges that UCLA failed to protect demonstrators when dozens of individuals—some in white masks, others draped in Israeli flags and armed with fireworks, hammers, baseball bats, and other weapons—attacked the encampment while the loud sound of crying babies played on the jumbotron, as reported by The Times of Israel.
Last June, three Jewish students and a Jewish professor sued the university, alleging it allowed pro-Palestinian protesters to block their access to classes and campus facilities. They claimed they faced discrimination based on their faith during the protests. A federal judge later issued a preliminary injunction, prohibiting the university from allowing such blockades, as reported by The Times of Israel.
On Monday, the Trump administration filed a legal brief in support of the Jewish students and professor in their case against UCLA.