The Justice Department announced on Wednesday that it has launched an investigation into the University of California (UC) over allegations of antisemitism on campus.
The agency’s investigation “will assess whether UC has engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, religion and national origin against its professors, staff and other employees by allowing an Antisemitic hostile work environment to exist on its campuses,” according to a DOJ press release.
Attorney General Pam Bondi affirmed that the agency “will always defend Jewish Americans, protect civil rights, and leverage our resources to eradicate institutional Antisemitism in our nation’s universities.”
Leading Task Force member and Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Leo Terrell said, “Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attacks in Israel, there has been an outbreak of antisemitic incidents at leading institutions of higher education in America, including at my own alma mater at the UCLA campus of UC. The impact upon UC’s students has been the subject of considerable media attention and multiple federal investigations. But these campuses are also workplaces, and the Jewish faculty and staff employed there deserve a working environment free of antisemitic hostility and hate. The President, the Attorney General and this Task Force are committed to combatting antisemitism for all Jewish Americans.”
Ever since Hamas started the war in Gaza by killing over 1,000 Israeli civilians and military personnel in an October 7, 2023, surprise attack, pro-Hams demonstrations have occurred on college campuses across the country. There has been a marked rise in antisemitic displays and acts of violence.
Under the Biden administration, much of this sentiment was allowed to flourish in academia, with protesters targeting Jewish and pro-Israel students for harassment and physical assaults.
Last May, pro-Hamas students stormed a building at UC Irvine’s campus, as reported by Townhall’s Sarah Arnold.
Hundreds of pro-Hamas protestors stormed a building at the University of California, Irvine on Wednesday, prompting local law enforcement to warn students to "shelter in place.”
The demonstration escalated after they swarmed and occupied the Physical Sciences Lecture Hall on the California campus and began to barricade the building.
According to law enforcement, the group of pro-Hamas protestors who stormed the building was the same group who set up the encampment and occupied the area since April 29.
UC Irvine students have just stormed & occupied a university building, and now #UCI is reporting an escalation of violence.
— Kate Sanchez (@KateSanchezCA) May 16, 2024
Who could have predicted this?! It’s not like this JUST happened at UCLA…#CALeg pic.twitter.com/nTMezScFVx
Violence broke out at UCLA earlier in the same month as pro-Hamas groups clashed with pro-Israel students, as reported by Townhall’s Matt Vespa.
Chaos erupted on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles, as pro-Israel and pro-Hamas groups began clashing violently on campus. When the melees broke out, there were reports of zero law enforcement present. Campus security was also reportedly told to stand down.
Similar incidents have occurred in other states like New York. Last week, pro-Hamas agitators assaulted and injured an employee at Barnard College in New York City while staging an anti-Israel demonstration.
Any student here in the US at the university holding a visa, should be picked up & deported.
— Blanche Victoria (@tammytabby) February 27, 2025
Pro-Hamas protesters seize control of historic Barnard academic building and assault college employee. pic.twitter.com/wCsSlPfwff
If universities are allowing or encouraging discriminatory practices against Jewish students and faculty members, the DOJ is right to step in – especially for institutions receiving federal funding. The reason why these people have been able to engage in these antics is because many have not been held accountable. Hopefully, the new administration will change that.
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