The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on Harvard University to take immediate disciplinary action to address a discriminatory social media post by the Harvard Republican Club targeting Muslim students celebrating Eid on campus. CAIR confirmed that it has sent a formal letter to the university demanding the removal of the post and corrective action.
SEE: CAIR’s Letter to President Alan Garber Regarding Discriminatory Post
The post disparages Muslim students for celebrating their sacred holiday of Eid, stating, “Harvard has been captured,” framing their presence as aggressive. CAIR said the harassing content contributes to a hostile campus climate and reflects broader institutional failures. CAIR designated Harvard as a ‘Hostile Campus’ in its 2025 Hostile Campus Ratings Report, assigning an alarmingly low score of 12%.
SEE: “Designated: CAIR’s 2025 Hostile Campus Ratings Report”
“This is exactly what happens when Islamophobia is not defined,” said CAIR’s Research and Advocacy Specialist, Dr. Maryam Hasan. “Harvard’s continued failure to adopt a clear, enforceable definition of Islamophobia has created a policy gap in which anti-Muslim racism is minimized, dismissed, or ignored altogether, making Muslim students feel unwelcome.”
In its letter, CAIR urged Harvard University to take disciplinary action, require the immediate removal of the discriminatory post, publicly condemn Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism, and adopt a clear, enforceable definition of Islamophobia, as other definitions to stop religious bigotry have been adopted. CAIR stated that these inconsistencies are especially troubling given Harvard’s explicit clarification of its non-discrimination policy regarding Islamophobia and harassment, “both in the online and offline world.”
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com