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University of Georgia – Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Federal Civil Rights Complaint

September 2024
University of Georgia (Public college or university)
Athens, GA

Identity of Speakers

  • CAIR-Georgia
    Unaffiliated
    Other

    Georgia Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations

  • Georgia Students for Justice in Palestine
    Student
    Other

    Student-led organization that advocates for Palestinian human rights and organizes campus activism, educational programming, and political advocacy related to Israel–Palestine issues.

Resources

Additional Information

  • Incident Nature:
    Rally or protest
    Other student-organized event
    Other
  • Incident Political Orientation:
    Not Clear
  • Incident Responses:
    University investigation issuing in sanctions
    Student sanctioned
    Rally or Protests
    Title IX or other federal statute
  • Incident Status:
    No litigation
  • Was Speech Code incident

Summary

On September 10, 2024, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Georgia filed a federal civil rights complaint under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 against the University of Georgia on behalf of individual students and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). The complaint alleged that Muslim and pro-Palestinian students were subjected to discriminatory treatment following campus protests connected to the Israel–Hamas war, including a “hostile environment,” unequal enforcement of university policies, and disciplinary actions tied to participation in “anti-genocide protests.” It requested federal investigation and corrective action and situated the allegations within broader nationwide campus responses to Israel–Gaza war-related demonstrations.

The complaint stemmed from events on April 29, 2024, when pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the University of Georgia resulted in more than a dozen arrests after students gathered on campus in connection with the Israel–Hamas war. University officials stated that arrests followed violations of campus demonstration policies, and disciplinary proceedings were initiated against students associated with the protest activity.

On May 2, 2024, the University of Georgia issued a statement addressing the arrests and reaffirming enforcement of campus rules governing demonstrations and conduct. On May 7, 2024, 183 University of Georgia faculty members submitted a petition urging university leadership to dismiss student suspensions arising from the April 29 protest, challenging the disciplinary actions and calling for reconsideration of sanctions tied to expressive activity related to Gaza.

In the immediate aftermath of the arrests, CAIR Georgia issued a press statement calling on the university to drop disciplinary charges against students disciplined in connection with the April 29 demonstration and related “anti-genocide protests,” alleging unequal enforcement of campus policies. This advocacy formed part of the factual background later incorporated into the September 2024 federal complaint.

Following the filing, CAIR Georgia continued public advocacy reiterating its claims and calling for dismissal of disciplinary charges related to the protests. As of the time of writing, there has been no publicly announced resolution, settlement, or federal determination regarding the complaint.