The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR Maryland) today welcomed Johns Hopkins University’s decision to ban an individual from campus following an incident in which a peaceful demonstrator carrying a Palestinian flag was reportedly physically assaulted by him during a rally protesting the Israeli military’s genocidal campaign in Gaza.
The incident, which occurred on September 15, highlighted the urgent need for universities to maintain safe spaces for students to express their views, especially on matters of social justice and human rights. CAIR Maryland urges all universities to take a firm stand against violence, ensuring that their campus community’s voices can be heard without fear of intimidation or harm.
Last month, CAIR called on JHU officials to comply with a growing demand by students and faculty to divest from the Israeli government’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and apartheid in the West Bank after the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) entered a resolution with the university to resolve complaints of discrimination from both Palestinian and Jewish students amid campus protests last year.
“We hope that JHU’s decision to bar this individual from campus because of his unacceptable behavior helps students advocating for justice feel safer and more supported,” said CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry. “In this political climate when students on U.S. college and university campuses are facing relentless erasure, doxxing, harassment, and retaliation for standing up for Palestinian human rights, it is essential that universities foster environments where students’ and faculty members’ constitutional rights are protected and diverse opinions can be shared and debated peacefully.”
CAIR urges all institutions of higher learning to continue promoting dialogue while condemning any acts of violence or harassment that threaten the rights of individuals to peacefully assemble and express their beliefs.
The civil rights group is committed to advocating for the rights of all marginalized communities and ensuring that incidents of violence are addressed promptly and effectively.
In August, CAIR launched its Unhostile Campus Campaign, a project aimed at fostering a campus environment where Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, and other students, faculty, and staff opposing the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza enjoy free speech and academic freedom and are not subjected to state force or university discipline due to their viewpoints.
Students, staff, and faculty who wish for their university or college campus to be considered as a potential “institution of particular concern” should complete the form linked below.
SEE: Report a Hostile Campus to CAIR
The organization adds in a disclaimer that the new form is intended solely to inform CAIR’s UnHostile Campus Campaign. Students, faculty, and affiliates seeking CAIR’s legal and advocacy services should continue to contact their local office or chapter, or in the event that there is no local chapter, file a formal report with CAIR’s National Civil Rights Department.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; CAIR Maryland Outreach Coordinator Kim Syuardi, ksyuardi@cair.com, 202-850-9293