The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has agreed to pay over $6 million to settle complaints from Jewish students and faculty who accused the school of tolerating a “Jew Exclusion Zone” during pro-Palestinian protests last year. The protests emerged amid rising tensions over Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza, sparking a wave of demonstrations across college campuses.
Part of the settlement includes $2.33 million directed to organizations fighting antisemitism, including UCLA’s own Hillel, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Jewish Federation Los Angeles’s Campus Impact Network. The payment comes after a lawsuit was filed in June 2024 by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty along with co-counsel, claiming UCLA allowed antisemitic barriers that shut out Jewish students and faculty during the protests.
The campus atmosphere became highly charged in spring 2024. Reports of anti-Jewish hostility surfaced, and in April, at least 15 people were hurt when pro-Israel counter-protesters attacked a pro-Palestinian encampment, allegedly using fireworks and metal rods. In response to the lawsuit, a federal judge ruled in August that UCLA must not support any action that excludes or discriminates against Jewish members of the campus community. However, an amended complaint filed in October claimed that discrimination continued under campus leadership.
The U.S. Justice Department also launched a civil rights investigation into UCLA earlier this year, focusing on possible antisemitic hostile work environments on campus. In response, UCLA has boosted efforts to address and prevent anti-Jewish prejudice. Janet Reilly, chair of the University of California Board of Regents, said the university recognizes where it has fallen short and is committed to improving the situation.
UCLA’s settlement is the latest in a series of moves by U.S. universities facing allegations of antisemitism since the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Barnard College recently settled a lawsuit by Israeli students who reported widespread anti-Jewish bias. Columbia University agreed last week to pay $200 million over three years to resolve federal civil rights investigations, which also allowed the institution to regain access to over $400 million in federal grants.
The fight against antisemitism on campuses continues to draw national attention. Over recent years, universities like Harvard, Cornell, and Northwestern have faced funding freezes related to similar claims, showing the federal government’s growing scrutiny of discrimination in higher education. As UCLA moves forward with its settlement, the hope is for more inclusive and respectful university environments for all students and faculty.