Lawsuit Filed by Jewish Students Alleges Widespread Anti-Semitism at Harvard

Jewish students have filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, accusing the prestigious institution of tolerating and enabling discrimination on campus. The complaint alleges that Harvard has become a hub of anti-Jewish hatred and harassment, violating the civil rights of its Jewish students. The lawsuit, filed by a student at Harvard Divinity School and a group called Students Against Antisemitism, claims that Jewish students have been subjected to a hostile environment, worsened by the recent attack on Israel by Hamas. The plaintiffs argue that students and faculty members have harassed, intimidated, and assaulted Jewish students both in classrooms and on social media. Furthermore, they accuse Harvard of selectively enforcing its policies, failing to protect Jewish students, and even hiring professors who support anti-Jewish violence and spread antisemitic propaganda. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and an injunction to address Harvard's alleged violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Similar lawsuits have been launched against other universities by the Kasowitz Benson Torres law firm, including New York University and the University of Pennsylvania. Harvard has faced increasing scrutiny since the Hamas attack, with investigations opened by the US education department and the House of Representatives into the handling of antisemitism on campus. Additionally, the recent resignation of Harvard's president, Claudine Gay, has added to the university's challenges, as she faced criticism over plagiarism allegations and her failure to unequivocally condemn calls for the genocide of Jews during her testimony before Congress.