A federal complaint filed by The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law accuses the University of Washington (UW) of failing to address anti-Semitism on its campus, according to the complaint.
Jewish students have reported being threatened, excluded, and subjected to harassment, while anti-Semitic graffiti has appeared around campus, calling for violence against Jews.
The complaint alleges that UW leadership has not taken sufficient action despite being aware of the incidents.
The complaint outlines several disturbing instances, including aggressive protests where Jewish students were threatened, and incidents where anti-Semitic messages were found on campus.
One event involved the disruption of a Board of Regents meeting where Jewish community members, including the CEO of the Seattle Jewish Federation, were testifying about anti-Semitism. Protesters allegedly called for violence, and the police had to escort attendees for their safety.
The Brandeis Center has asked the U.S. Department of Education to intervene, citing violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in federally funded educational institutions.
The complaint also details a series of escalating events, from threatening rallies to physical intimidation of Jewish students on campus.
Kenneth L. Marcus, founder and chairman of the Brandeis Center, criticized the university’s response, stating that it failed to prevent the situation from worsening.
The complaint calls for UW to take more substantial actions, including removing anti-Semitic graffiti, working with local law enforcement to ensure Jewish students’ safety, and implementing anti-Semitism education for the campus community.
This complaint follows similar actions taken by the Brandeis Center against other universities.
The center has successfully reached agreements with institutions like the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Brooklyn College to address anti-Semitism, with ongoing investigations at other schools nationwide.