Three tenured professors have filed a lawsuit against Emory University in Atlanta over its handling of protests against Israel's assault on Gaza in 2024. The lawsuit alleges wrongful arrest and prosecution after the university called Atlanta police and state troopers to shut down a protest encampment less than an hour after it began. The professors claim the university violated its own open expression policy.
Noëlle McAfee, chair of the philosophy department and one of the plaintiffs, described the events as reflecting a 'very dark, authoritarian turn' in the country. She hopes the lawsuit will draw attention to the university's behaviour and ensure police are never called to quash a protest again. McAfee said some faculty and students have never recovered from the trauma of the incident.
Separately, Emory law school expelled student Milano Wayne in April after months of racist, misogynistic and transphobic social media posts and emails. Students criticised the school's slow response compared to its swift action against protesters. Greear Webb, a member of the Black Law Students Association, said the school seemed to give privileges to someone with violent ideologies.
Students and faculty have also protested against Flock Safety surveillance cameras on campus, citing concerns about lack of transparency and potential data sharing with federal agencies like ICE. The DeFlock Emory Coalition has gathered over a thousand signatures opposing the cameras.
