Identity of Speakers
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n/a
Unaffiliated
Other
Resources
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Other
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Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
Title IX or other federal statute
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Incident Status:
No litigation
- Did not involve Speech Codes
Summary
In April and May 2024, pro-Palestinian student demonstrators at George Washington University (GWU) organized protests, including an encampment at University Yard. During this period, Jewish students, faculty, and staff reported being subjected to antisemitic harassment, including racial slurs and threats such as “Zionists go to hell” and “F*** you, Zionist go die.”
Following the protests, GWU received multiple complaints about the harassment but, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), failed to take adequate steps to protect affected students. On August 12, 2025, the DOJ issued a notice of findings concluding that GWU had been “deliberately indifferent” to the antisemitic harassment, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The notice stated that the university’s inaction created a hostile environment that interfered with Jewish students’ access to educational programs.
In response, GWU released a statement condemning antisemitism and reaffirming its commitment to a respectful and inclusive campus. The university emphasized that it had taken actions under its policies and the law to hold individuals or organizations accountable during the encampment and stated it does not tolerate behavior that threatens the community or undermines dialogue.
The DOJ’s findings require GWU to implement corrective measures to address the hostile environment or risk the loss of federal funding.
