American University suspended its chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine until November 2027, citing violations of university policies, according to the Washington, D.C., private school’s website.
The suspension and subsequent year of disciplinary probation stems from February findings that AU SJP violated the university’s anti-discrimination policy.
On Feb. 25, AU officials canceled an SJP event scheduled for that evening after determining that promotional materials contained imagery and language that “contributed to safety concerns” about the event. The event was a workshop titled, “Debunking Zionist Lies” that called to “smash Zionism!” against a photo of a person draped in a keffiyeh holding a slingshot.
Administrators said the event “did not undergo the necessary safety assessment” and that AU SJP had not submitted the social media post for review before posting.
“We have been falsely accused of discrimination and harassment based on ‘religion and national origin,’ for attempting to host a workshop to debunk Zionist lies,” AU SJP wrote in a Feb. 11 announcement on Instagram. “Zionism is a political ideology and Judaism is a religion.”
The statement accuses the university of falsely conflating the two.
The chapter had been placed on disciplinary probation in April 2024 after a Feb. 8 silent indoor walk that violated the campus rule against indoor protests, according to The Eagle, AU’s student newspaper. The university had banned indoor protests in a Jan. 25 email to the AU community.
“For years the university has tried to silence its own students with targeted policies,” AU SJP wrote, citing probations, attempted arrests, a cease-and-desist order, interim suspension and a third-party investigation.
The group wrote that it was suspended because SJP “set on exposing the Zionist lies and speak the truth of our people.”
The suspension has drawn mixed feelings from AU students, alumni and organizations. A petition to reinstate the chapter has garnered more than 5,800 signatures.
“The contradictions between what AU allows and does not allow students to speak out against is hypocritical and sets a dangerous precedent for all student organizations fighting for justice on campus,” the petition stated.
Many of the comments on AU SJP’s announcement call the suspension “shameful,” “embarrassing” and a damper on campus free speech.
Organizations that seek to counter antisemitism and support Jewish civil and human rights spoke in support of the suspension.
“[Alums for Campus Fairness] applauds the AU administration for taking action and encourages continued, even-handed enforcement of university policies,” the organization wrote in a Feb. 17 statement.
“The Lawfare Project applauds AU’s decision to protect Jewish students and uphold civil rights,” the organization wrote in a Feb. 16 Instagram post. “This is a prime example of how universities should behave when SJP crosses the line.”
Some commenters on Instagram said a suspension until Nov. 6, 2027, isn’t enough of a consequence.
One commenter who labeled this suspension a “trivial gesture” pointed to AU’s neighboring school, George Washington University. After school officials revoked GW SJP’s organization status through spring 2027, the still active group disaffiliated from the university.
Yet others said they believe members of AU SJP deserve expulsion from the university, otherwise they will continue their activity.
In the announcement, AU SJP wrote that “university repression will be met with resistance.”
“With over two years of an escalated genocide and over 76 years of occupation, a suspension means nothing to us,” the statement read. “We will continue to organize for the liberation of the Palestinian people and create the space and means for our students to take up the struggle.”
