Colleges Move to Ban Students for Justice in Palestine Chapters

A number of colleges and universities are moving to suspend Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapters over political activism that some see as favorable to Hamas. George Washington University, Brandeis University, and Columbia University are among those that banned SJP from their campuses.

Key Details: The banning of the SJP from a number of college campuses has sparked First Amendment debates about what constitutes antisemitism. The banning comes after several SJP chapters released statements blaming Israel for the bloodshed and praising the attacks as an act of resistance by Hamas.

Key Quotes: "We see this very clearly as being a political response to a growing wave of backlash and repression towards Palestinian organizing," the spokesperson for the George Washington University Students for Justice in Palestine chapter said, "but specifically the Palestinian student movement that’s been happening the past few weeks." At Columbia Unviersity, school Vice Presdient Gerald Rosberg said, "This decision was made after the two groups repeatedly violated University policies related to holding campus events, culminating in an unauthorized event Thursday afternoon that proceeded despite warnings and included threatening rhetoric and intimidation".

For Context: Colleges and universities have been under pressure to take action against antisemitism amid an increase in threats, harassment, and assaults against Jewish students.

How the Media Covered it: Sources on the left noted that the Biden Administration had taken steps to address the rise of antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents on college campuses. Sources across the political spectrum noted the continuation of organized rallies and protests at colleges and universities.