Rutgers University has suspended its Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter due to alleged violations of university policies, including disrupting classes and activities.
This action follows an investigation by the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights.
The university emphasized the importance of free speech while ensuring the safety of individuals and the campus. (Trending: New Movie Obamas Helped Make Raises Eyebrows: ‘Don’t Trust White People’)
“You allegedly have had multiple cases of disrupting classes, a program, meals, and students studying,” wrote Associate Dean of Students Michelle Jefferson.
Jefferson noted the school’s authority to enforce their own rules after they’ve taken “a reasonable basis to conclude that the continued activities by the student organization pose a substantial and immediate threat to the safety and well-being of others.”
A Rutgers spokesperson confirmed there were complaints that the group, “disrupted classes, a program, meals, and students studying.”
Rutgers-New Brunswick Chancellor Francine Conway wrote, “In recent weeks, our campus has witnessed a wide range of gatherings and events in response to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.”
“Some of these events have been characterized by moments of unrest that have caused members of our community to fear for their safety. While Rutgers–New Brunswick is a public institution that protects and values free speech and an open exchange of ideas, this exchange cannot come at the expense of individual and campus safety,” declared the administrator.
“One recent incident that occurred at the Rutgers Business School facility in Piscataway has raised questions about the use of academic buildings and the disruption of activities therein. To better understand this incident and the events that led up to it, I have instructed the Rutgers University Police Department to complete a full and thorough investigation, which is currently underway,” explained Conway.
“In the meantime, I can share only that, as with other related incidents, individual students and a student organization have been notified of possible conduct violations, she continued.
Adding, “The review process for conduct violations is ongoing and confidential.”
Recently, the SJP chapter posted a video captioned, “WE’RE OCCUPYING THE BUSINESS SCHOOL AND WE’RE HERE ALL NIGHT.”
Pro-Israel organizations welcomed the decision, citing concerns about the SJP’s aggressive behavior.
StandWithUs CEO Roz Rothstein also criticized the Pro-Palestinian group.
“Since October 7th, SJP has been extremely aggressive on far too many campuses in threatening ways, including the use of violent, genocidal rally calls which include ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,’ ‘Globalize the Intifada,’ and ‘there is only one solution, Intifada revolution,'” said Rothstein.
“It is therefore no surprise that increasing numbers of universities are making the decision to suspend a student group that combines violent rhetoric with violations of university policies, threatening Jewish students on campus,” lamented the pro-Isael activist.
In response, Rep. Josh Gottheimer emphasized the need for safety and condemned the SJP’s rhetoric following a terrorist attack.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer posted his response on social media, writing, “All students have a right to be safe from threats of violence & hate of any kind on college campuses.”
“When 1,200 were murdered, raped, & burned alive by Hamas terrorists, the Rutgers’ SJP chapter labeled Oct. 7 as ‘justified retaliation,'” added Gottheimer.
“I love Rutgers — it’s better than this,” he concluded.
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