Identity of Speakers
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Students for Justice in Palestine at Brown University
Student
OtherStudent organization that advocates for Palestinian rights and organizes educational events, protests, and campaigns related to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Resources
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Rally or protest
Other student-organized event
Organized outside group action
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Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
University investigation issuing in sanctions
Student sanctioned
Rally or Protests
Title IX or other federal statute
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Incident Status:
No litigation
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
On October 8, 2024, Students for Justice in Palestine organized a protest in response to the Brown University Corporation’s vote not to divest the University’s endowment from 10 companies with ties to Israel. The protest was intended to express opposition to the decision and to urge the Corporation to reconsider. During the protest, some participants reportedly banged on a vehicle, screamed profanities, and used a racial epithet directed at a person of color, actions that administrators later described as potentially violating the University’s code of conduct.
Two days later, on October 10, the Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy sent an email describing the behavior as “entirely unacceptable” and warning of disciplinary consequences. On October 18, 2024, Brown University suspended the SJP chapter pending an external investigation into the group’s conduct at the October 8 protest. The suspension required the chapter to cease all organizational activities, including meetings, social and educational events, recruitment, postings, and use of its name, while the investigation was conducted. The external review, carried out by an outside investigator, included interviews with participants and others to assess whether the group violated campus conduct policies. The suspension and investigation focused on alleged organizational misconduct separate from individual disciplinary proceedings for protesters.
On January 29, 2025, the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island and its student chapter sent a letter to Brown University administrators urging the immediate reinstatement of SJP pending formal proceedings. The letter argued that the ongoing interim suspension “severely undermine[d] the University’s stated commitment to upholding the principles of freedom of expression for all views and perspectives” and criticized the suspension notice for not explaining why alleged misconduct was attributed to the group rather than specific individuals.
After months of disciplinary review, Brown University reinstated the SJP chapter on probation on September 17, 2025. The University found the group responsible for violating provisions of the Student Code of Conduct related to disruption of community and emotional harm to persons but restored the chapter’s recognition. Probationary conditions included restrictions on rallies and demonstrations for the 2025–26 academic year.
