Yale accused of ignoring harassment of pro-Palestine protesters

Faculty for Justice in Palestine group says university is 'not taking steps' to protect students

Yale stripped the pro-Palestine student group, Yalies4Palestine, of university club status following demonstrations that occurred during an off-campus visit from Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. ReutersShow less

A collective of faculty and staff at Yale University expressing support for Palestine say the institution is not doing enough to assist students who have been harassed amid recent demonstrations.

The Faculty for Justice in Palestine-Yale group said more than 1,000 faculty had signed a letter to the administration demanding protections for speech and academic freedom.

“Students have echoed these demands and called for a university-wide anti-doxing policy,” read a statement posted to Yale FSJP's website. “The administration has yet to respond.”

Pro-Palestinian protesters chanted slogans at Yale University to protest a visit by Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Reuters

Yale FSJP's statement and critiques of university administrators follows a decision to decertify the student-run pro-Palestine club, Yalies4Peace, and rescind its official club status following recent protests on campus.

Yalies4Peace probably will not be reinstated anytime soon, but that is not stopping the Yale FSJP from trying to bolster support for the decertified club.

“We write on behalf of concerned faculty and staff who attended the April 22nd protest and who are committed to protecting freedom of expression,” reads the post from Yale FSJP in reference to what it describes as misinformation about demonstrations that took place during a speech occurring near campus by far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Yale said that the demonstration, which took place on Hewitt University Quadrangle, was not authorised by the university, and took place in complete breach of “Yale's time, place and manner policies”.

In a statement posted to Yale's website, the university also insinuated that Yalies4Palestine played a major role in organising the demonstration.

Yalies4Palestine has since said that the demonstration was not affiliated with any particular student organisation.

A faculty member familiar with Yalies4Palestine echoed those sentiments to The National.

People protest against a speech by Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, close to Yale's campus. Reuters

“This is simply untrue,” said the faculty member, referring to the demonstrations which took place near Mr Ben Gvir's speech. The staffer spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution by Yale administrators.

Mr Ben Gvir had been invited to speak at the private event hosted by the Yale-based Jewish society group Shabtai.

“There was no aggression and by 11pm the protesters had left. But there were a few students from the local Chabad aggressively filming them and pushing their way in,” the faculty member said, referring to a conservative Jewish group.

That same faculty member said that within hours, those who had been filming the demonstrations began to release the names of some of those attending the protest and have since tried to “dox and harass them”.

In its recent statement, Yale FSJP also alleged that various members of Yalies4Palestine have since become targets of disinformation.

Several groups gathered near Yale to protest the appearance of Itamar Ben-Gvir. Reuters

“A far-right organisation, Canary Mission, known for doxing protesters, has been using footage filmed at Yale – including at university-approved public gatherings – to target individuals for harassment,” the group's statement read, also alleging that names of student demonstrators had also been released online.

“Yale has not indicated they are taking steps to investigate how students are being targeted or to protect students from such harassment. We call on administrators, on the Yale community: Don’t look away.”

Since the April 22 demonstrations, Yale has acknowledged that some students had been notified that they are subject to disciplinary action, and that the university was investigating concerns about alleged anti-Semitic conduct.

Yale FSJP has vigorously denied this and accused Yale administrators of perpetuating “false accusations of anti-Semitism”. Recent demonstrations saw Jewish students also take part and advocate for Palestine.

The decertified university organisation, Yalies4Peace, has since described the university's actions following the protests as “a blatant attempt to silence students for speaking truth about Israel’s genocide in Gaza”.

The student group also explained that regardless of whether or not it gains back certification status, its work continues.

“Our role as students is to heighten them even more, engage our peers and colleagues, and be active agents in the struggle for freedom.”

Yale did not immediately respond to The National's requests for comment on Yale FSJP's statement and allegations regarding the loss of university club status.

An end-of-the-year message from Yale’s president Maurie McInnis didn’t directly address the controversy, but did touch upon the overall theme of rights on campus. 

“Diverse viewpoints are welcome. Spirited debate is encouraged. But we can have disagreement and debate without disparagement,” Ms McInnis wrote on Monday. 

"We do so, in part, by following the rule of law and university policies. These policies—such as neutral time, place, and manner guidelines—do not favor any particular group or viewpoint,” she added, noting that Yale would continue to adjust policies as needed. 

Israel's punishing campaign in Gaza – which followed the 2023 attacks by Hamas-led fighters on Israel that resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people and the capture of 240 hostages – has killed at least 52,365 people in Gaza and injured at least 117,900.

The war has prompted heightened Islamophobia as well as a spread of anti-Semitism in various parts of the US.

Like other universities, this is not Yale's first controversy over how it has handled students and faculty expressing support for Palestine.

In April, Yale sacked Helyeh Doutaghi, a scholar of international law who was accused of having connections to terrorism by an artificial intelligence-powered news site, Jewish Onliner.

Helyeh Doutaghi, a Yale Law School scholar claims she was wrongly suspended due to allegations made by an 'AI empowered' website, JewishOnliner. Photo: Helyeh Doutaghi

“I have been terminated based on unproven allegations, absent any due process or substantiated claim,” Ms Doutaghi posted to X. “This sets a chilling precedent.”

In a statement to The National, Alden Ferro, a senior associate of public affairs at Yale, said that the school repeatedly tried to talk to Ms Doutaghi and her lawyer but she refused to meet to respond to questions.

The Israel-Gaza war has prompted a surge in attempts from various interest groups to use technology, AI and social networks to try to gain an upper hand in influencing public opinion. Those attempts have resulted in growing concern that demonstrators are being penalised without due process or a sense of nuance.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has shown no sign that it wants to entertain the idea of support for Palestine on college campuses, with various media reports indicating that the US State Department might use artificial intelligence to revoke the visas of international students involved in protests that it deems to be in support of Hamas.

For Yale FSJP, concerns about such a heightened climate have in recent days since the April 22 demonstrations, become solidified.

“The selective harassment of Palestine-focused student groups and persons has become a troubling trend at Yale and elsewhere and raises questions about Yale’s lack of interest in addressing the rise in Islamophobia on university campuses,” the group said.