The Trump administration has found George Washington University (GWU) in violation of federal civil rights law, accusing the institution of being ‘deliberately indifferent’ to antisemitic harassment on its campus. The Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation revealed that GWU failed to address complaints and incidents of antisemitic misconduct, resulting in a hostile educational environment for Jewish, Israeli, and American-Israeli students and faculty. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division stated that every student has the right to equal educational opportunities without fear of harassment, emphasizing that no one is above the law. The DOJ is moving towards enforcement and is seeking immediate remediation, offering GWU the chance to resolve the matter through a voluntary resolution agreement.
The investigation uncovered that GWU students and faculty were subjected to a hostile environment that was objectively offensive, severe, and pervasive. Dhillon described the antisemitic, hate-based misconduct by GWU students as ‘shocking,’ highlighting that the behavior was demonstrably abhorrent, immoral, and illegal. The DOJ mentioned that during final exams and graduation ceremonies in April and May 2024, the university community engaged in antisemitic, disruptive protests, including the establishment of an encampment in GWU’s University Yard. The university received over eight complaints during that period alleging discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students, with Jewish students, parents, and alumni expressing fears for their safety as the protests continued.
The investigation also found numerous incidents of Jewish students being harassed, abused, intimidated, and assaulted by protesters. Dhillon cited a Jewish student who described being surrounded, harassed, threatened, and ordered to leave the area immediately by antisemitic protesters after exiting the Law School, which is adjacent to University Yard. The university’s Assistant Dean of Students instructed the Jewish student to leave due to the presence being ‘antagonizing and provoking the crowd.’ Other Jewish students reported similar experiences of harassment and intimidation while crossing the campus through University Yard, with protesters shouting slurs and restricting the students’ movements. Despite these incidents, university police officers were reportedly passive, telling students to leave the area for their safety.
Dhillon emphasized that the purpose of the agitators’ efforts was to frighten, intimidate, and deny Jewish, Israeli, and American-Israeli students access to the university’s educational environment. The DOJ is urging GWU to implement reforms to prevent the recurrence of discrimination, harassment, and abuse. While the university is private, its location in the nation’s capital places it under greater federal oversight. This comes as the Trump administration has also taken other actions in the region, including federalizing the D.C. police department, citing rampant violent crime in the capital. The DOJ’s findings underscore the serious nature of the alleged incidents, with the administration calling for immediate and comprehensive remediation to ensure a safe and equitable educational environment for all students.