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The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has agreed to pay more than $6 million to settle a lawsuit over its role in assisting pro-Palestinian protestors who blocked Jewish students and faculty from large areas of campus and critical campus buildings.
As CBN News reported, pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests paralyzed campuses across the U.S. in 2024 even as Israel fought to rescue hostages who were being held by Hamas terrorists in horrific conditions in Gaza.
UCLA was one of more than 10 campuses where violent clashes broke out and dozens of arrests took place.
The Becket Fund, a non-profit legal group, sued UCLA, claiming the university played a role in “aiding and abetting” an antisemitic culture, including “segregating Jewish students and preventing them from accessing the heart of campus.”
UCLA fought the lawsuit for over a year, refusing to admit any wrongdoing. They argued they had no legal responsibility in the issue, because the protestors, not the university, blocked Jewish students’ access to areas. The school pointed out they worked with law enforcement to stop attempts of setting up new protest camps.
“When antisemites were terrorizing Jews and excluding them from campus, UCLA chose to protect the thugs and help keep Jews out,” said Yitzchok Frankel, father of four and recent UCLA Law graduate. “That was shameful, and it is sad that my own school defended those actions for more than a year.
Last summer, a federal judge found the school guilty of antisemitism and ordered the school to stop allowing pro-Palestinian protestors to ban Jewish students from portions of the campus.
“Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith,” U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi wrote at the time. “This fact is so unimaginable and so abhorrent to our constitutional guarantee of religious freedom that it bears repeating. Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith.”
Earlier this week, the school agreed to consent judgment in Frankel v. Regents of the University of California, and agreed to pay $6.13 million, including damages “to each of Becket’s clients, millions in charitable contributions to organizations that support the Jewish community, and attorneys’ fees and costs.”
According to EdSource, $50,000 will go to each of the plaintiffs, and $2.3 million will go to Jewish-focused nonprofit organizations, including Hillel at UCLA and the Anti-Defamation League.
The settlement is believed to be the largest private settlement in campus antisemitism cases. “We are pleased with the terms of today’s settlement. The injunction and other terms UCLA has agreed to demonstrate real progress in the fight against antisemitism,” the parties said in a joint statement.
The school has also agreed to create an environment that makes its campus safer for Jewish students, faculty, and staff, according to a UCLA press statement.
“Antisemitism, harassment, and other forms of intimidation are antithetical to our values and have no place at the University of California. We have been clear about where we have fallen short, and we are committed to doing better moving forward,” said University of California Board of Regents Chair Janet Reilly.
“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,” she added.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are applauding the resolution. “Today’s court judgment brings justice back to our campus and ensures Jews will be safe and be treated equally once again,” said Frankel.
Mark Rienzi, president of Becket and an attorney for the students, said the following:
“Campus administrators across the country willingly bent the knee to antisemites during the encampments. They are now on notice: treating Jews like second-class citizens is wrong, illegal, and very costly. UCLA should be commended for accepting judgment against that misbehavior and setting the precedent that allowing mistreatment of Jews violates the Constitution and civil rights laws. Students across the country are safer for it.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice recently issued UCLA a “notice of violation,” citing that the school violated Jewish students’ civil rights by being “deliberately indifferent to the hostile environment for Jewish and Israeli students created by the protest encampment” and not responding to students’ complaints adequately.
“Our investigation into the University of California system has found concerning evidence of systemic anti-Semitism at UCLA that demands severe accountability from the institution,” U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “This disgusting breach of civil rights against students will not stand: DOJ will force UCLA to pay a heavy price for putting Jewish Americans at risk and continue our ongoing investigations into other campuses in the UC system.”
The university has until August 5 to contact its departments and work toward a “voluntary resolution agreement.” If they fail to do so, the DOJ noted, it will file a complaint in federal district court by Sept. 2.
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