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Cornell. A coalition of student and faculty groups rallied under the banner
“Take Back Our University” last week, drawing over 100 protesters and uniting causes under shared anti-Israel activism ranging from Palestinian advocacy to climate justice and graduate student labor rights. Organizers framed the event as a “big tent protest” aimed at fostering solidarity across issues, while speakers accused Cornell of targeting anti-Israel voices and vulnerable workers. Protesters faced verbal backlash, with onlookers urging participants to “take off your masks” while notable appearances from individuals previously disciplined by the university were made. Speakers warned of growing suppression under federal and university policies
and urged student-led organizing as the key to institutional change. Faculty, like Professor Tracy McNulty, signaled that more collective protests are likely ahead.
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A crowd of protesters walk from Ho Plaza to Day Hall during the "Take Back Our University" rally. (Photo by Nathan Ellison | The Cornell Daily Sun) |
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George Mason.
As a new school year at George Mason University begins, the school has reinstated the local chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), which had been suspended after a series of problematic incidents in 2023 and 2024 including the discovery of weapons and terrorist paraphernalia in the homes of two students who were SJP leaders. The SJP chapter has already started the year off with anti-Israel hate, releasing a recruiting video with a masked speaker saying the "spirit of resistance will not be quenched until we see full liberation of Palestine from the river to the sea." A university spokesman said that "The university has been made aware of the newly posted SJP
video and is requesting an evaluation from the Virginia AG’s office on whether the video is protected speech."
DEEPER: As shown in ADL’s Campus Antisemitism Report Card, George Mason faced a lengthy list of problematic incidents in past years, but has taken steps taken to respond to incidents and to support Jewish life on campus.
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Michigan. The University of Michigan is moving forward with disciplinary action
against 11 students and alumni who participated in anti-Israel protests. The University says the actions, which included sit-ins, encampments, and disruptions of official events, violated campus policies and created a hostile environment for other students. “The university has been clear that we will enforce our policies related to protests and expressive activity, and that we will hold individuals accountable for their actions in order to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all,” spokesperson Kay Jarvis said. The Office of Student Conflict Resolution is reportedly pursuing sanctions ranging from formal reprimands to suspension, and even lifetime bans for alumni.
Four students also faced criminal charges earlier this year, which were later dropped.
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Pitt. SJP is also being reinstated on another campus. A federal judge ruled that the University of Pittsburgh has to immediately reinstate the SJP chapter, which had been close to the end of its six-month suspension in the wake of university concerns that the group had tried to influence a disciplinary committee that was weighing in on whether an anti-Israel ‘study-in’ at a Pitt library had violated university policies. The
judge found that the school code of conduct is being applied in ways that “sweep too broadly.”
👉 TAKE ACTION TODAY: While some universities have taken strong actions to protect all students, staff and faculty, others have failed to adequately address antisemitism. So, ADL, in partnership with Hillel International, the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, has released a clear set of recommendations to help universities create more inclusive campuses for all. Click here
to contact your alma mater and other universities you're connected to and urge them to adopt these essential safety measures this semester.
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Netherlands. Pro-Palestinian protests disrupted speeches by Dutch leaders at multiple universities this week, as backlash to academic ties with Israel continues to intensify across the country. At the University of Twente, protesters interrupted caretaker Prime Minister Dick Schoof’s speech twice before being removed by security. The most significant disruption
happened at the University of Amsterdam, where students interrupted Rector Peter-Paul Verbeek’s opening ceremony speech, accusing the school of complicity in “genocide” due to partnerships with Israeli institutions. Despite Verbeek’s affirmation that “you belong here” to Jewish students, chants of “free free Palestine” and red flyers from the balcony forced the event to shut down. The ceremony moved to a secondary location. Protests against Israeli partnerships continue to spread throughout Dutch higher education institutions.
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Europe. A new report
by B’nai B’rith International and partner groups warns that European universities are seeing a drastic rise in antisemitism since October 7. Researchers say administrators often hesitate to act, letting anti-Israel activism slide into open hostility toward Jewish students. The findings mirror trends in the U.S., where campus encampments and protests last year also blurred the line between activism and antisemitism. The report urges universities to tighten protest rules, bolster security and adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. “Europe’s universities are failing their Jewish students… antisemitism here is too often excused as
‘activism,’” B’nai B’rith leaders said. | 
