UCLA has agreed to pay a massive $6.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by three Jewish students and a faculty member who said they were physically kept out of parts of campus during last year’s pro-Palestinian protests. Protesters allegedly created what was called a “Jew Exclusion Zone” on Royce Quad, blocking access to classes, the library, and other student spaces based on perceived identity.
As part of the settlement, each of the four plaintiffs will receive $50,000. UCLA will also donate over $2.3 million to Jewish organizations like Hillel and the Anti-Defamation League, and dedicate $320,000 toward new initiatives to tackle antisemitism on campus. The university admitted it “fell short in protecting Jewish students” and said the agreement is meant to create lasting change.
DOJ Says UCLA Broke Civil Rights Laws
This isn’t just a school-level issue. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigated and concluded that UCLA violated federal civil rights laws—including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act—by not doing enough to protect Jewish and Israeli students during the protests. The DOJ found that multiple reports of harassment, threats, and antisemitic behavior were ignored or poorly handled by campus officials.
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi didn’t hold back: “UCLA will pay a heavy price for putting Jewish students at risk.” The DOJ is now pushing for system-wide reforms across all University of California campuses to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.
What’s Changing on Campus?
In response to the lawsuit and the federal pressure, UCLA is making some big changes. It’s launching a new Office of Campus and Community Safety, reworking how protests are managed, and putting new antisemitism education and response plans in place.
Last year’s protests led to more than 100 reported incidents—everything from hate graffiti to threats and assaults, all documented in the university’s internal review. The student plaintiffs said they were physically blocked, taunted, and even shoved while just trying to attend class.
The Civil rights laws firms that represented them, Becket Law, said this case sends a message to every college: Jewish students have Civil Rights Laws , and ignoring hate won’t be tolerated.
This follows a similar case at Columbia University, where officials agreed to a $200 million settlement after facing their own antisemitism claims. Clearly, federal authorities are watching how campuses handle discrimination more closely than ever.
Why This Matters to Students?
Whether you’re Jewish, Palestinian, or any other identity—this case shows that universities are being held accountable for how they protect (or fail to protect) students during political protests. No one should be blocked from accessing their education because of who they are.
UCLA’s case is a reminder that students have legal protections—and real consequences happen when schools don’t act. As national conversations around free speech, protest, and inclusion continue, campuses across the country are now under the microscope.
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