Emory is under investigation for anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim harassment

Emory University is under investigation for anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim harassment after two groups filed a federal civil rights complaint on April 5.

On behalf of Emory Students for Justice in Palestine (ESJP), the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Georgia) and Palestine Legal called on the U.S. Department of Education to investigate the “hostile” environment at Emory.

According to CAIR Georgia, Emory students were followed and filmed on campus, called “terrorists” and “fake Muslims,” and sent graphic photos. Their leaflets detailing the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces were torn out or thrown in the trash. ESJP students have also been individually attacked and tortured on social media and harassed on campus.

Emory University spokeswoman Laura Diamond said the university received the complaint from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and would respond. “We are not in a position to discuss an open investigation,” Diamond added.

Last week, CAIR-Georgia held a press conference at Emory and called on the university to disclose and end its ties to Israel, The Emory Wheel reported.

Azka Mahmood, executive director of CAIR Georgia, released a statement regarding the investigation. She claims that students “have to suffer in an unsafe and unwelcoming learning environment with no regard for help, even though they have asked (Emory} for help several times.”

“OCR’s initiation of this investigation is a welcome step and we hope it leads to answers about Emory University’s failures to address anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian activities since October of last year, despite multiple bias reports and a letter from civilian human rights organizations.” said Mahmood.

She said CAIR Georgia hopes the investigation will force the Emory administration to address harassment and systemic discrimination against Palestinian, Muslim and Arab students.

ESJP has been vocal online and on campus, calling on the university to disclose financial investments, withdraw from Israel, boycott research, internships or academic programs that collaborate with Israeli institutions, and publicly call for a ceasefire.

Since April 25, demonstrators of the Israel-Hamas war have repeatedly occupied the campus. The Emory commencement ceremonies were moved to Gas South Arena in Gwinnett County.

Undergraduate students are also taking part in a vote of no confidence in the leadership of Emory President Gregory Fenves this week after he ordered additional law enforcement to campus on April 25, resulting in 28 arrests.