The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, accusing the Ivy League institution of violating the civil rights of Jewish and Israeli people in the aftermath of the war in Gaza. The suit, filed on Friday in the US federal court for the district of Massachusetts, alleges that the university allowed anti-Israel protesters to operate on campus “with impunity” following the 2023 Hamas attack and Israel’s military response.
According to the 44-page filing, Harvard “turned a blind eye to antisemitism and discrimination against Jews and Israelis” by strictly enforcing policies against other forms of bias while permitting anti-Israel demonstrations, including a three-week pro-Palestinian encampment in 2024, to proceed virtually unchecked. The lawsuit claims Jewish and Israeli students were “repeatedly denied access to educational facilities by antisemitic demonstrators” and were “harassed, physically assaulted, stalked, and spat upon.” It further alleges that Harvard’s response was to “do nothing.”
Harvard has rejected the allegations. In a statement, a spokesperson said the university “cares deeply about members of our Jewish and Israeli community” and has taken “substantive, proactive steps to address the root causes of antisemitism,” including enhanced training and education, and the active enforcement of anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies. The university previously counter-sued the administration last year, accusing it of trying to “gain control of academic decision-making.”
The legal action is the latest in a series of clashes between the administration and Harvard. In September, a federal court ruled that the administration unlawfully cancelled $2.2bn in federal research grants as part of President Donald Trump’s feud with the university. Trump has previously demanded a $1bn payout from Harvard over its perceived antisemitism.
The government is asking the court to rule Harvard in breach of Title VI, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, colour, or national origin in programmes receiving federal financial assistance. If successful, the move could block the distribution of up to $9bn in future grants and allow the government to attempt to recoup money previously awarded.
