Three students have sued NYU for failing to protect them from the “festering Jewish hatred permeating the school,” which has accelerated during the war between Israel and Hamas.
Jewish students Bella Ingber, Sabrina Maslavi and Saul Tawil have accused their university of “blatant civil rights violations” by allegedly allowing other students to shout anti-Semitic slogans such as “gas the Jews” and “Hitler was right” without facing repercussions. to sing.
Their lawsuit, filed in New York federal court, says that over the past month the college “gave a gang of students carte blanche to harass and intimidate NYU’s Jewish population” through “acts and omissions.”
It is claimed that “the age-old virus of anti-Semitism is alive and well at New York University” and has worsened after Hamas’s horrific Oct. 7 raid on Israel brought tensions to a boiling point.
Ingber, Maslavi and Tawil condemned the university for allegedly violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin.
They say they tried to address their concerns, but administrators brushed them aside and told them to call a hotline for students with “emotional challenges.”
Three students have sued NYU for failing to protect them from the “festering Jewish hatred permeating the school,” which has accelerated during the war between Israel and Hamas. Pictured: NYU staff and students during a strike and protest in support of Palestine in Manhattan on November 9
The plaintiffs say anti-Semitism has been a “growing institutional problem” on American college campuses for decades — and that NYU “is one of the worst.” Pictured: An agitator holding a sign outside an NYU building – participating in a protest on November 2
NYU has disputed their claims, telling DailyMail.com that they “do not accurately describe the conditions on our campus” and that they “look forward to setting the record straight” in court.
But the plaintiffs say anti-Semitism has been a “growing institutional problem” on American college campuses for decades — and NYU is “one of the worst.”
“This case arises from the egregious civil rights violations at NYU that have created a hostile educational environment in which Plaintiffs and other Jewish students at NYU have been subjected to widespread acts of hatred, discrimination, intimidation, and harassment,” the lawsuit reads.
“For years, NYU—well aware of ongoing and shameful acts of anti-Jewish bigotry—has responded with, at best, deliberate indifference, refusing to enforce its own anti-discrimination policies and implementing policies that it directly applies to protect other targets of bigotry. , and instead foster an environment in which students and faculty can repeatedly abuse, defame, slander, and threaten Jewish students with impunity.
“Regularly confronted with genocidal chants such as: ‘Hitler was right’, ‘gassing the Jews’, ‘death by kikes’ and ‘from the river to the sea’ and other abuses, plaintiffs are not only deprived of the opportunity and opportunity to participate fully and meaningfully in NYU’s educational and other programs, but they have suffered and are at serious risk of extreme emotional and physical harm.”
Inger, Maslavi and Tawil say anti-Semitism on college campuses has increased by 40 percent and that NYU has long been aware of the “festering Jewish hatred that permeates the school.”
They allege that the increase in alleged problems occurred because administrators, instead of taking “urgently necessary protective and disciplinary measures to restore order and safety on campus,” “took advantage of Jewish students.”
According to their lawsuit, university officials insisted that Jewish students’ fears are “exaggerated” and told them “to simply call the Wellness Exchange, a hotline for students struggling with emotional problems.”
In the aftermath of the terror attack and as Israel hit back with airstrikes on Gaza, NYU students called for support of Palestine through mass protests.
Many demonstrations turned toxic and anti-Semitic banners and chants appeared. A handful of young people even waved signs that read “Keep the World Clean” with an illustration of a trash can with the Star of David in it.
The school has been in the news for numerous incidents, including students removing posters plastered around campus for kidnapped Israeli victims.
Another incident then was Ryna Workman, an NYU law student who was ousted as president of the bar over a newsletter she wrote describing the Hamas attack as “necessary.” NYU has said it is investigating the incident.
NYU spokesman John Beckman has dismissed the claims in the lawsuit, saying in a statement to DailyMail.com that the college takes all forms of hate “extremely seriously.”
“The allegations in this lawsuit do not accurately describe conditions on our campus or the many steps NYU has taken to combat anti-Semitism and keep the campus safe,” Beckman said.
‘Anti-Semitism is against our rules; we take the issues of anti-Semitism and all other forms of hate very seriously, and we are committed to protecting our community and providing an environment in which all students can live and learn in peace.”
Beckman said the university was “among the first in the U.S. to publicly condemn Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel” and that “through its Tel Aviv program it maintains perhaps the largest academic presence in Israel of any major U.S. university.” ‘.
Their lawsuit, filed in New York federal court, says that over the past month the college “gave a gang of students carte blanche to harass and intimidate NYU’s Jewish population” through “acts and omissions.” Pictured: NYU protest on October 25
NYU has disputed their claims, telling DailyMail.com that they “do not accurately describe the conditions on our campus” and that they “look forward to setting the record straight” in court. Pictured: A handful of young people waved a sign that read “Keep the World Clean” with an illustration of a trash can with the Star of David in it during a pro-Palestine protest at NYU
He added that NYU has “repeatedly communicated with our community about our efforts to ensure safety,” including an increased presence of the Campus Safety Officer and the NYPD.
The university also informed students “about the expectations of appropriate behavior” and about “the fact that anti-Semitism violates our rules and violators will face disciplinary action,” the statement said.
It “immediately investigated and opened investigations into reported complaints of anti-Semitism and related misconduct.”
“NYU looks forward to setting the record straight, to challenging the one-sided narrative of this lawsuit, to making clear the many efforts NYU has made to combat anti-Semitism and provide a safe environment for Jewish students and non-Jewish students and to prevail in court. Beckman said.
The three students say NYU failed to follow procedures to end discrimination and when they enrolled they fully expected to be able to express their identity and heritage.
The lawsuit asks a judge to force NYU to protect students, including firing deans and administrators responsible for the alleged atmosphere. They also ask for an unknown amount of money.