Jewish Rutgers law student could be expelled for exposing antisemitism: lawsuit

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by: Mira Wassef

Posted: Jan 2, 2024 / 11:10 AM EST

Updated: Jan 2, 2024 / 11:41 AM EST

NEW JERSEY (PIX11) — A Jewish law student at Rutgers University claims he could be expelled from the school after exposing antisemitic rhetoric on campus, according to a new lawsuit.

Yoel Ackerman alleges he was punished after he complained about another Rutgers law student who had allegedly published a social media video denying Hamas attacked Israelis on Oct. 7, according to court documents.

The Instagram video suggested that Jews exaggerated the attack and Israel was looking for a way to justify genocide against Palestinians, according to the complaint. The footage also referred to Palestinian fighters as kind and merciful on Oct. 7, lawyers said.

The lawsuit also alleges Rutgers faculty posted antisemitic rhetoric on social media, including one that suggested Israel was lying about the Hamas attack to “distract from its carnage in Gaza.”

After speaking out, Ackerman claims he was bullied and harassed on campus before the school’s Student Bar Association (SBA) held a public meeting to decide if he should face administrative charges, according to court documents. After the meeting, the SBA decided to have a hearing to determine if Ackerman should be disciplined, lawyers said.

Ackerman could be suspended or expelled after Thursday’s hearing.

“The Law School and its faculty permitted Mr. Ackerman to be publicly humiliated by the Rutgers SBA launching an impromptu impeachment hearing with surprise witnesses to shout-down Mr. Ackerman,” according to the complaint.

Ackerman claims Rutgers Law School didn’t protect him from harassment, discrimination, bullying, and intimidation.

Rutgers has the second-largest Jewish student body of any public university in the country, according to the lawsuit. The suit claims antisemitism had been an issue at the school for years before the Oct. 7 attacks. Jewish students reported they had to conceal their identities to avoid trouble, lawyers said.

“Rutgers’ tolerance for antisemitism exists across its campuses, a culture which has it now
prosecuting a student for objecting to antisemitic propaganda. Rutgers’ transgressions have
recently caused the U.S. Department of Education to open an investigation over alleged
antisemitism at Rutgers,” lawyers said in a press release about the lawsuit.

A spokesperson for Rutgers Law School said they do not comment on pending litigation.

Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the New York City area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.

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