Muslim students are requested to submit their school experiences to CAIR-Philadelphia at pa.cair.com/report-school
(WASHINGTON, DC, 8/14/24) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) today designated The George Washington University (GWU), the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Emory University as “institutions of particular concern” at a press conference in Washington D.C. due to their creation of a hostile campus environment for Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, and other students, faculty, and staff opposing the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
Palestine Legal also presented remarks at the conference.
In a May report, which was shipped to 600 university administrators ahead of this morning’s announcement, CAIR detailed free speech violations and rising Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism targeting anti-genocide student protesters at over 30 colleges and universities. Among the most egregious incidents of violence occurred against students at GWU, UCLA, and Emory University.
“While anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim racism has been widespread across American universities, these three institutions have set the standard for creating a thoroughly hostile and dangerous environment for anti-genocide students, faculty, and staff, especially Muslim and Palestinian community members,” said CAIR Research & Advocacy Director Corey Saylor. “For students considering these three universities, we urge you to look at other institutions, where free speech and academic freedom are respected values and not just empty words.”
Saylor added, “Everyone knows these three universities are just the tip of the iceberg. Today is about focusing attention on the issue. In the coming weeks we fully expect to designate many more universities and colleges.”
SEE: OP-ED: “Emory is on CAIR’s list of ‘Institutions of Particular Concern’”
GWU, which came under federal investigation for Title VI violations for anti-Palestinian activities, suspended its chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) in November 2023 and targeted its student leaders. In May, the university authorized law enforcement to destroy the anti-genocide student sit-in, or ‘protest encampment,’ during which police trashed students’ Islamic materials, such as prayer mats and English translations of the Qur’an. In April, GWU was sued due to alleged activities by a top faculty member, who “is connected to numerous anti-Muslim think tanks in the United States and Europe and has published in various anti-Muslim outlets” according to reporting from Georgetown University.
At UCLA, police reportedly launched flares, shot rubber bullets, and gassed student protesters in the student-led sit-in established on campus. One day before the attack, police had stood by for hours while pro-Israel counter-protesters beat peaceful students with poles and wooden boards, shot fireworks at the encampment, and allegedly threatened to murder and rape UCLA students.
At Emory, Muslim and Palestinian students had for months reported that they had been targets of racist remarks from students, faculty and affiliates, while administrators justified the harassment by reportedly telling students that “when students say ‘Free Palestine’” — a call for Palestinian human rights — “they are associating themselves with terrorism.” In April, Emory leadership authorized the use of tasers, tear gas, and rubber bullets against student protesters and other affiliates to dismantle a peaceful sit-in. In May, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into the university following a complaint filed by CAIR-Georgia and Palestine Legal.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
ADC is a civil rights organization committed to defending the rights of people of Arab descent and promoting their rich cultural heritage.
Palestine Legal’s mission is to bolster the Palestine solidarity movement by challenging efforts to threaten, harass and legally bully activists into silence and inaction.
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CONTACT: CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor, 202-384-8857, csaylor@cair.com; CAIR Research and Advocacy Coordinator Farah Afify, 202-742-6410, fafify@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com.
