Civil Rights Complaint Filed Over Alleged Discrimination at University of Georgia

The Council on American Islamic Relations has filed a civil rights complaint on behalf of students of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim descent at the University of Georgia. The complaint alleges discrimination in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It urges a federal investigation into the university's actions.

The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) advocacy group announced on Tuesday it had filed a civil rights complaint on behalf of students at the University of Georgia. The students, of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim descent, allege differential treatment and discrimination.

The complaint claims the university's behavior violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination by federally funded institutions based on race, religion, and national origin. Filed with the U.S. Department of Education, the complaint calls for a federal probe into the university's conduct. According to CAIR, pro-Palestinian students have faced harassment since the onset of Israel's war in Gaza, with inadequate response from the university to prevent or address such harassment.

The university maintains its support for free speech and asserts it does not engage in racial or religious discrimination, while enforcing policies against violators. This comes amid numerous protests in the U.S., including at colleges, against U.S. support for Israel's Gaza operations. Reports also note rising antisemitic and Islamophobic rhetoric in such events, with human rights advocates raising alarms over increasing hate crimes.

(With inputs from agencies.)