A demonstration denouncing the Israeli aggression on Gaza at Harvard University (Reuters)
Yesterday, Monday, more than 10 students accused Harvard University of not protecting them from harassment, threats, and racist attacks because of their support for the Palestinian cause and their Arab identity, amid tension prevailing in American universities regarding the reactions to the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip.
The Muslim Legal Fund in the United States said that its administration submitted a complaint yesterday, Monday, to the Office of Civil Rights of the US Department of Education on behalf of these students, and the complaint urged an investigation with Harvard University.
The Legal Fund also called on the Ministry of Education to hold Harvard University’s administration accountable to protect all students from exposure to racism and harassment, and to guarantee their right to education free from harm.
The Muslim Legal Fund explained that the harassment, intimidation, and threats faced by students at Harvard were based solely on their being Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, and supporters of Palestinian rights, and added that the students were also subjected to racist attacks, stalking, and assaults, for reasons including the status of the Palestinian keffiyeh.
The Legal Fund quoted the students who filed the complaint as saying that Harvard threatened to limit or withdraw the students' future academic opportunities, instead of providing them with protection from the attackers.
On the other hand, a Harvard University spokesperson said that the university had no comment on the complaint, but added that it had the necessary resources to support students, including the establishment of a task force announced last Friday to combat Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.
Human rights defenders have noted a rise in rates of Islamophobia and bias against Palestinians in the United States since the outbreak of the Israeli aggression on Gaza. Last November, 3 students of Palestinian origin in Vermont were shot when the outlet heard them speaking in Arabic.
Claudine Gay resigned this month from the presidency of Harvard University after being subjected to intense pressure following her testimony before Congress regarding anti-Semitism and what could be considered a violation of the university’s code of conduct, and against the backdrop of her defense of the demonstrations in support of Gaza on campus.
Source: Al Jazeera + Reuters