Top American university agrees to settle antisemitism lawsuit for $1 million
UC Berkeley will also prevent student organisations passing bylaws banning Zionist speakers
One of America’s foremost educational institutions has agreed to pay $1 million to settle a lawsuit brought by two Jewish organisations after incidents on campus in late 2023.
UC Berkeley has also committed to preventing student organisations passing bylaws preventing Zionist speakers from visiting the university, review general non-discrimination policies and make it clear that it takes into account the IHRA definition of antisemitism when analysing discrimination complaints, the LA Times said.
The settlement by the California-based university, which has approximately 45,000 students and is regularly ranked as one of the foremost higher education institutions in the world, also includes a commitment to introduce compulsory anti-discrimination training for staff, as well as specific training around antisemitism.
In a statement on Thursday, Kenneth Marcus, chair of the Brandeis Centre, which brought the lawsuit against Berkeley in November 2023, described the settlement as “a victory for Jewish American students and for all Americans who care about free speech and fairness.”
Marcus, an alumnus of Berkeley as well as a former US Assistant Secretary of Education who ran the Office for Civil Rights, went on to say that “what began as a ban on Zionist Jewish, voices, regardless of the subjects they wished to address, and mushroomed into a widespread hostile environment will no longer be tolerated.
“What happened at Berkeley is a cautionary tale. Universities, unions, corporations, and political parties cannot create an anti-Zionist exception to their conduct codes. They cannot silence Jewish Americans on the pretext of advancing their own political agendas. As we have now seen time and again, if left unaddressed antisemitic bigotry, whether or not masked as anti-Zionism, only continues to expand. We will fight this bigotry wherever and whenever we find it, and we will win.”
A spokesperson for the university said that the settlement “reflects UC Berkeley’s long-standing values and objectives when it comes to combating abhorrent antisemitic expression, harassment, and discrimination when it occurs on the Berkeley campus.
“Since this litigation was filed in 2023, the university has taken significant steps to build upon its existing policies, programs and practices that address discrimination and harassment against Jews and Israelis, and to support the quality of Jewish life on campus, which the Anti-Defamation League describes as ‘excellent’ in its latest ‘Campus Antisemitism Report Card.’”
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
