Resources
Additional Information
-
Incident Nature:
Rally or protest
Lawsuit
Other
-
Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
University investigation issuing in sanctions
Student sanctioned
Rally or Protests
Campus police
Other Law Enforcement
Litigation
Title IX or other federal statute
-
Incident Status:
In litigation State Court
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
On August 14, 2024, five UC Irvine students filed a petition for writ of mandate against the UC Irvine chancellor and the Regents of the University of California, challenging suspensions imposed for their participation in a Gaza solidarity encampment. The petition alleged violations of due process and free speech rights, including failure to provide notice of charges and a meaningful opportunity to be heard. The filing sought cancellation of the suspensions, removal of disciplinary records, and injunctive and declaratory relief. Organizations within the encampment, including UCI Divest, Students for Justice in Palestine at UCI, and Anakbayan at UCI, also received interim suspensions. On the same date as the filing, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California submitted an amicus brief supporting the students.
The disciplinary actions arose from events beginning on May 6, 2024, when the students established a Gaza solidarity encampment on campus during the Israel‑Gaza War. The encampment involved setting up tents in a prominent public space, holding teach-ins and demonstrations, and refusing university requests to vacate the area. UC Irvine issued suspensions on May 9, 2024, citing violations of campus policies including obstruction of university operations, failure to comply with administrative orders, and disruption of campus activities. Students and supporters held a walkout in solidarity on May 13, drawing additional faculty and community members to oppose the suspensions and link the action to the broader conflict in Gaza. The students alleged that the university targeted them for interim suspensions that were not applied consistently with university rules, imposed without prior notice or an opportunity to respond, and without demonstrating that their presence posed a safety risk. They argued that the administration did not follow its own procedures before suspending these particular students, singling them out in a way that violated due process.
The ACLU amicus brief argued that the university’s disciplinary process violated constitutional requirements and threatened protected expression. In June 2025, the Council on American‑Islamic Relations designated UC Irvine a hostile campus, citing the suspension of students, arrests of participants in the encampment, and broader restrictions on pro‑Palestinian advocacy and academic freedom. UC Irvine stated that it acted to enforce campus policies, maintain safety, and support structured dialogue and peaceful demonstration.
Separately, in 2025, two Muslim women arrested during the May 2024 protest filed a lawsuit against the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, alleging that deputies forcibly removed their hijabs during arrest and intake.
The lawsuit filed by the five students remains ongoing as of March 2026.
