Los Angeles, July 30 (AP) - The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has agreed to a $6 million settlement with three Jewish students and a Jewish professor. The lawsuit argued that their civil rights were violated when pro-Palestinian protesters in 2024 blocked them from accessing classes and other areas on campus. The settlement follows nearly a year after a preliminary injunction was issued, marking a significant legal precedent where a U.S. judge ruled against a university’s handling of anti-Israel demonstrations during the Gaza conflict.
Initially, UCLA contended it had no legal responsibility in the incident, claiming that the protesters were responsible for obstructing access, not the institution itself. The university had collaborated with law enforcement to prevent further protest camps. However, U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi disagreed, requiring UCLA to create a strategy to protect Jewish students on campus. As a response, the University of California developed system-wide campus guidelines regarding protests. The university's handling of protest encampments in the spring faced widespread criticism. One evening, counter-protesters attacked the pro-Palestinian encampment, using traffic cones and pepper spray, leading to prolonged altercations that injured over a dozen individuals before police intervened. The following day, despite orders to disperse, hundreds remained, resulting in over 200 arrests. In March, the Trump administration joined the lawsuit filed by the Jewish students and professor, initiating new inquiries into alleged antisemitic actions at other universities such as Columbia University, UC Berkeley, the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, and Portland State University. Recently, Columbia agreed to a $200 million settlement to address federal antidiscrimination law violations and reinstate more than $400 million in research grants. The Trump administration aims to apply this settlement model with financial implications across other educational institutions. On Tuesday, a report from the Trump administration stated that the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division found UCLA in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The university was accused of exhibiting “deliberate indifference” in fostering a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division remarked on UCLA’s failure to take timely and appropriate actions amidst credible claims of harm and hostility on its campus. The university has expressed its commitment to implementing safety measures and recommendations. Janet Reilly, Chair of the University of California Board of Regents, stated, "Today's settlement reflects a critically important goal that we share with the plaintiffs: to foster a safe, secure, and inclusive environment for all members of our community and ensure that there is no room for antisemitism anywhere on campus.” As part of the settlement, UCLA is obligated to grant Jewish students, faculty, and staff equal access to all on-campus facilities. The $6.13 million settlement will compensate the plaintiffs' damages and legal fees, with approximately $2.3 million allocated to eight organizations combating antisemitism. In a separate action, 35 pro-Palestinian students, faculty, legal observers, journalists, and activists have filed a lawsuit against UCLA, claiming the university did not adequately protect participants in the demonstrations. Among these, some Jewish students have also joined national campus protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
The 2014 protests at UCLA resulted in at least 15 pro-Palestinian protesters being injured, prompting criticism from political leaders as well as Muslim students and advocacy groups for the insufficient authorities' response. (AP)
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