ATLANTA — Since the war in the Gaza region started in early October, some members of Emory University’s community believe they’ve been the targets of harassment and intimidation for their pro-Palestinian views.
A coalition that includes the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) shared its concerns in a letter. It was written on behalf of members of the Muslim and Palestinian community who have been targeted, the coalition's letter said.
“There has been a wave of Islamophobia and Muslim harassment on Emory’s campus,” said Javeria Jamil with CAIR Georgia.
She said in one case, several Students for Justice in Palestine members were doxxed on a popular social media networking site. CAIR members also claimed there have been several other instances of what the organization thinks are hostile acts, including “blatant discrimination.”
The organization also claims the university is failing to protect Muslim and Arab students. 11Alive’s Erica Murphy spoke with two students who were both afraid to show their faces and share their names.
“I’m a white guy. I’m an eighth generation southerner and yet, even I have faced harassment when wearing a keffiyeh in public,” said the Masters of Divinity student who attends the university.
Another student who wears a hijab said she is in fear every day after being harassed during a November peaceful demonstration.
“At that event we were doing our chalking which we were approved and allowed to do and a bunch of students came up to us at night and requesting us and arguing with us although were just trying to do it peacefully,” she said.
CAIR issued, along with several other organizations, a letter to Emory on Jan. 24 laying out the organization’s concerns and demanding the university take action to make campus a safer place for all students.
“The university is going to have to acknowledge that it’s going to have to be a place for dialogue. It has to be a place for equal opportunity participation in these conversations or else it isn’t a university, it’s a training camp," a student said.
11Alive contacted Emory University about the allegations in CAIR's letter. Read their response below.
Emory University is reviewing the letter from the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Emory does not tolerate any action that discriminates against groups or individuals because of their nationality, identity or beliefs.
The organization is considering filing a Title VI complaint with the Department of Justice.