Aug 6, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Harvard must face antisemitism lawsuit after motion to dismiss is rejected

April Rubin

An image of a gate at Harvard University. — The Johnston Gate at Harvard University remained closed in May with limited access as the tent city occupation at Harvard University continued. Photo: David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Harvard must face a lawsuit over campus antisemitism after a federal judge on Tuesday denied its motion to dismiss the litigation.

The big picture: Jewish students sued the university, alleging it ignored discrimination amid campus response to and protests of the Israel-Hamas war.

Zoom in: "The protests were, at times, confrontational and physically violent, and plaintiffs legitimately fear their repetition," Massachusetts District Judge Richard G. Stearns wrote.

"The harassment also impacted plaintiffs' life experience at Harvard; they dreaded walking through the campus, missed classes, and stopped participating in extracurricular events."

Catch up quick: The lawsuit came a week after then-president Claudine Gay resigned over a controversial congressional testimony, in which she didn't outright condemn calls for the genocide of Jews.

A spring encampment by pro-Palestinian protesters ignited a "flash point," Stearns wrote.

What's next: The lawsuit will continue into 2025.

Initial disclosures in the lawsuit must be completed by Sept. 27, according to the court docket.
Amendments and additional parties must be completed by Nov. 11.
Fact discovery must be completed by April 24.

Go deeper: Harvard Jewish students sue university over antisemitism

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Harvard must face antisemitism lawsuit after motion to dismiss is rejected

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