{"id":4000,"date":"2025-06-09T14:25:30","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T18:25:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/?p=4000"},"modified":"2025-06-09T14:25:31","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T18:25:31","slug":"cair-designates-n-arizona-u-u-of-pittsburgh-as-hostile-campuses-for-targeting-anti-genocide-voices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/cair-designates-n-arizona-u-u-of-pittsburgh-as-hostile-campuses-for-targeting-anti-genocide-voices\/","title":{"rendered":"CAIR Designates N. Arizona U., U. of Pittsburgh as Hostile Campuses for Targeting Anti-Genocide Voices"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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CAIR Designates N. Arizona U., U. of Pittsburgh as Hostile Campuses for Targeting Anti-Genocide Voices<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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(PITTSBURGH, PA., April 17, 2025) \u2014<\/span>\u00a0The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation\u2019s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today designated\u00a0<\/span>Northern Arizona University (NAU)\u00a0<\/a>and the\u00a0<\/span>University of Pittsburgh (UPitt)<\/a>\u00a0<\/a>as\u00a0<\/span>Hostile Campuses<\/span> due to ongoing suppression, intimidation, and criminalization of student activism advocating for Palestinian human rights and opposing genocide.<\/span>Despite public commitments to free expression and diversity, both institutions have escalated punitive measures against students, particularly Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, Jewish, and allied voices demanding an end to Israel\u2019s occupation and war crimes in Gaza.<\/span><\/p>\n

“University campuses should be places where students feel safe to speak out against genocide and injustice. NAU and UPitt have instead criminalized conscience, punished peaceful protest, and targeted anti-genocide student groups. That is why we designate them as hostile campuses,\u201d said\u00a0<\/span>Corey Saylor<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>CAIR\u2019s Director of Research and Advocacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

CAIR-Arizona\u2019s Executive Director, Azza Abuseif, said in a statement:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is deeply disappointing to know that NAU, a learning institution, an environment meant to foster intellectual growth, critical thinking, and leadership, chooses to silence students for being anti genocide and exercising their right to free speech, especially when that speech stems from compassion and care for humanity. Such actions send a troubling message that conformity is valued over curiosity, and silence over sincerity, ultimately stifling the very growth and moral courage that education is meant to inspire. In a place where different viewpoints should be welcomed to develop open-minded, empathetic leaders, punishing students for speaking out undermines the core purpose of learning. If we cannot promote dialogue, compassion, and diverse thinking within an educational setting, then we fail not only the students but the greater mission of building a more just and thoughtful society.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Northern Arizona University (NAU)<\/a><\/p>\n

In April 2024, NAU administrators authorized the mass arrest of\u00a022 student protestors\u00a0at an anti-genocide encampment. Rather than engaging in dialogue, the university responded with disproportionate force and swiftly moved to\u00a0suspend the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter for four years<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0effectively silencing one of the primary vehicles for Palestinian advocacy on campus. Administrators also\u00a0preemptively altered campus protest policies\u00a0the night before the encampment, restricting free expression to a narrow 8 a.m.\u20135 p.m. window and banning overnight demonstrations\u2014policies that selectively curtailed dissent.<\/span><\/p>\n

CAIR-Pittsburgh\u2019s Executive Director, Christine Mohamed said:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cImagine facing criminal charges for exercising your First Amendment right to speak out against genocide \u2014 that\u2019s the reality for students who attend the University of Pittsburgh. The university\u2019s response to peaceful protest has created a hostile environment for students of conscience. This designation isn\u2019t just appropriate \u2014 it\u2019s necessary and long overdue.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

University of Pittsburgh (UPitt)<\/a><\/p>\n

UPitt similarly escalated repression of anti-genocide activism. In 2024, the university facilitated the\u00a0arrests of at least 16 peaceful student protestors\u00a0demonstrating near the Cathedral of Learning for disclosure and divestment from Israeli apartheid. Those arrested faced criminal charges, including trespassing and failure to disperse, despite the peaceful nature of their action. Rather than fostering a space for meaningful dialogue, the university has taken steps to\u00a0suppress anti-genocide voices. The\u00a0Chancellor and Provost\u2019s offices recently seized control of an ad hoc committee on antisemitism, effectively marginalizing calls for parallel institutional action against Islamophobia. On April 15, 2025, Pitt\u2019s SJP chapter and the ACLU of Pennsylvania\u00a0<\/span>filed a federal lawsuit<\/a>\u00a0alleging the university\u2019s policies and disciplinary actions are unconstitutional and discriminatory.<\/span><\/p>\n

Students, faculty, and staff experiencing retaliation or censorship for their anti-genocide activism are encouraged to report their campus at\u00a0<\/span>Islamophobia.org\/ReportCampus<\/a>. To learn more about CAIR\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Unhostile Campus Campaign<\/span>\u00a0and view the full list of hostile campuses, visit<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Islamophobia.org\/Hostile-Campuses<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

CAIR\u2019s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

La misi\u00f3n de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensi\u00f3n del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

END<\/span><\/p>\n

CONTACT:\u00a0<\/span>CAIR-Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif, 602-349-1573,\u00a0<\/span>aabuseif@cair.com<\/a>; CAIR Pittsburgh Executive Director Christine Mohamed, 412-606-3601,\u00a0<\/span>cmohamed@cair.com<\/a>; CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor, 202-384-8857,\u00a0<\/span>csaylor@cair.com<\/a>; CAIR Research and Advocacy Manager Farah Afify,\u00a0<\/span>fafify@cair.com@cair.com<\/a>; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530,\u00a0<\/span>e-Mitchell@cair.com<\/a>; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726,\u00a0<\/span>ihooper@cair.com<\/a>; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280,\u00a0<\/span>iallison@cair.com<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n


\nKNOW YOUR RIGHTS!
\n<\/a>
\nDue to the recent developments in the Middle East and those speaking out at rallies, social media, and other venues, we are reminding our community of their civil rights when dealing with law enforcement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CAIR Designates N. Arizona U., U. of Pittsburgh as Hostile Campuses for Targeting Anti-Genocide Voices (PITTSBURGH, PA., April 17, 2025) \u2014\u00a0The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation\u2019s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today designated\u00a0Northern Arizona University (NAU)\u00a0and the\u00a0University of Pittsburgh (UPitt)\u00a0as\u00a0Hostile Campuses due to ongoing suppression, intimidation, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1576,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":""},"categories":[9,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-news"],"ticketed":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4000","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4000"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4000\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4005,"href":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4000\/revisions\/4005"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1576"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pa.cair.com\/pitt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}