The University of Georgia (UGA) is facing a federal civil rights complaint for alleged anti-Muslim discrimination on its campus following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
On Tuesday, September 10, the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Georgia) and Georgia Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) filed a complaint with the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
The plaintiffs are requesting an immediate investigation into UGA’s disproportionate treatment of Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, perceived Palestinian, and Palestinian-associated students.
According to the complaint, the UGA’s activities violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which forbids organisations receiving federal funding from permitting discrimination on the grounds of national origin, race, or religion.
CAIR-Georgia said pro-Palestinian students have faced harassment from anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and Islamophobic groups since Israel’s war on Gaza began, with the university failing to prevent or address such harassment.
CAIR-Georgia, together with SJP and attorneys Sarah Gerwig and Samantha Hamilton, are urging the US Department of Education to investigate UGA’s failure to protect students from doxing and ensure accountability for unequal treatment.
Since October 7, Israel’s war on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of nearly 41,000 Palestinians, displacement of 2.3 million, a hunger crisis, and genocide allegations against Israel at the World Court.
