UCLA to Pay $6 Million in Discrimination Settlement for Jewish Students

UCLA Settles Discrimination Complaints Over Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations

UCLA has agreed to pay over $6 million to resolve discrimination complaints linked to last year’s pro-Palestinian demonstrations, in which Jewish students and faculty were prevented from accessing key areas of the campus. The settlement comes as a result of a lawsuit filed in June 2024 by two law students and an undergraduate, who claimed that the university allowed a group of students and outsiders to set up a pro-Palestinian encampment that forced Jewish individuals to be excluded from classrooms, libraries, and other essential parts of the campus.

According to the lawsuit, UCLA allegedly supported the pro-Palestinian zones by providing barriers and directing Jewish students and faculty away from these areas. The university was also accused of failing to take effective measures to ensure safe access for those affected. In response to the allegations, UCLA initially denied any responsibility for protecting its Jewish community.

The settlement requires UCLA to pay $6.13 million, which includes damages for each plaintiff, $2.33 million in charitable contributions to eight organizations that support the Jewish community, and attorney fees and costs. Additionally, the agreement includes a permanent court order that prohibits UCLA from facilitating efforts to exclude Jewish students and faculty from campus.

Plaintiffs’ attorneys described the agreement as the largest private settlement in a campus antisemitism case. “We are pleased with the terms of today's settlement,” said a joint statement from the parties. “The injunction and other terms UCLA has agreed to demonstrate real progress in the fight against antisemitism.”

In a separate statement, UC Board of Regents Chair Janet Reilly acknowledged the university’s shortcomings. “Antisemitism, harassment, and other forms of intimidation are antithetical to our values and have no place at the University of California,” she stated. “We have been clear about where we have fallen short, and we are committed to doing better moving forward.”

Legal Claims and Campus Actions

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles federal court, alleged that the so-called pro-Palestinian zones violated civil rights laws and discriminated against Jewish students. Following the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, pro-Palestinian demonstrations spread across college campuses nationwide. According to the plaintiffs, UCLA allowed the encampment on its Westwood campus, resulting in Jewish students and faculty being barred from certain areas unless they disavowed Israel’s right to exist.

The activists involved, many of whom were masked, used checkpoints, wristbands, barriers, and physical blockades to prevent Jewish students from passing through. For a week, the lawsuit claims, UCLA’s administration was aware of these practices but chose not to act. Instead, the university reportedly instructed security staff to discourage unauthorized students from attempting to cross into the blocked areas.

Yitzchok Frankel, a recent UCLA Law graduate and plaintiff, criticized the university’s actions. “When antisemites were terrorizing Jews and excluding them from campus, UCLA chose to protect the thugs and help keep Jews out,” he said. “That was shameful, and it is sad that my own school defended those actions for more than a year. But today's court judgment brings justice back to our campus and ensures Jews will be safe and be treated equally once again.”

Legal Precedent and Broader Implications

The settlement comes nearly a year after U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi ordered UCLA to stop assisting antisemitic agitators who created a “Jew Exclusion Zone” on campus. An attorney for the students, Mark Rienzi, noted that UCLA’s actions were documented in a report by the university’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias. The report admitted that UCLA had fostered an antisemitic environment and condemned the university’s behavior as “de facto or structural antisemitism.”

Rienzi emphasized that the settlement sets an important legal precedent. “Campus administrators across the country willingly bent the knee to antisemites during the encampments,” he said. “They are now on notice: treating Jews like second-class citizens is wrong, illegal, and very costly.”

The UCLA encampment was eventually dismantled in an overnight operation that led to over 200 arrests. Supporters of the demonstrators have criticized officials for allegedly ignoring a violent attack on the encampment by counterprotesters while quickly arresting those sympathetic to the Palestinians.

Community Response and Future Commitments

The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles welcomed the settlement, stating that it affirms the importance of protecting Jewish students from harassment and hate. “Our Jewish students, like all students, must be protected and able to learn in a secure environment,” the organization said in a statement. “We also commend those Jewish students who bravely came forward to protect their civil rights.”

The agreement, which would be in effect for 15 years, is awaiting approval by Judge Scarsi. It represents a significant step toward addressing antisemitism on college campuses and ensuring equal treatment for all students.