Los Angeles, California — A new lawsuit accuses UCLA of failing to protect Jewish students from violent antisemitic attacks, including incidents in which Jewish students were allegedly beaten unconscious with sticks, sprayed with pepper spray, and subjected to exclusion zones barring them from parts of campus.

The federal lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in California, claims that a group of antisemitic UCLA students carried out brutal assaults on their Jewish classmates while university administrators did little to intervene or prevent the violence.

According to the suit, Jewish students were beaten unconscious, attacked with sticks and pepper spray, and faced organized efforts to create “Jewish exclusion zones” on campus. Plaintiffs allege the university’s inaction allowed the harassment and violence to continue unchecked.

The complaint highlights protests and encampments on the UCLA campus, including large banners reading “UCLA Says Free Palestine,” during which Jewish students reportedly faced physical assaults and intimidation. One widely circulated image from the period showed a protester pouring liquid over a Jewish student.

The lawsuit argues that UCLA violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by failing to address a hostile environment for Jewish students, effectively allowing antisemitic conduct to flourish.

University officials have not yet issued a detailed public response to the specific allegations in the lawsuit. In previous statements regarding campus unrest, UCLA has said it condemns antisemitism and has taken steps to ensure campus safety, including working with law enforcement during periods of heightened tension.

The case adds to a growing number of legal actions against major U.S. universities alleging inadequate responses to antisemitic incidents following the escalation of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.

This is a developing story. Further details from the lawsuit and any response from UCLA will be updated as they become available.