The Justice Department on Tuesday accused George Washington University of showing “deliberate indifference” toward antisemitism and harassment of Jewish, American Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty, in violation of federal civil rights law.
In a notice of findings sent to GWU President Ellen Granberg, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division said the university failed to take meaningful action despite receiving multiple complaints about antisemitic incidents in spring 2024, when pro-Palestinian protesters descended on campus. Some protesters were seen in videos threatening and harassing Jewish students. Investigators concluded the university violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination by recipients of federal funding.
“Every student has the right to equal educational opportunities without fear of harassment or abuse,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said in the statement. “No one is above the law, and universities that promulgate antisemitic discrimination will face legal consequences.”
The DOJ said its investigation uncovered “objectively offensive, severe, and pervasive” misconduct that left Jewish students fearful of attending class or crossing central parts of campus. Examples cited included protesters surrounding students holding Israeli flags, shouting things such as “Zionist go to hell” and “there is only one solution, intifada revolution,” and blocking their movement while campus police stood by. In some cases, GWU officials and officers told Jewish students to leave the area rather than dispersing the protesters.
Between April 25 and May 1, 2024, during final exams and graduation, the university received at least eight complaints alleging antisemitic discrimination tied to a protest encampment in University Yard. The DOJ said the demonstrators sought to “frighten, intimidate, and deny” Jewish students equal access to the campus.
The department has given GWU until Aug. 22 to say whether it will enter a voluntary resolution agreement requiring “immediate remediation” and reforms to prevent future violations. If the school declines, federal officials could move to strip its federal funding.
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The action is part of a broader Trump administration push to tie university funding to compliance with federal civil rights law on antisemitism. In recent months, Columbia University and Brown University have reached settlements involving large financial penalties and policy changes, while the University of California, Los Angeles, is facing a $584 million funding freeze amid similar allegations.
GWU did not respond to a request for comment.
