Advancing Justice | AAJC Signs on to Protest Protection Letter

On behalf of the undersigned civil and human rights organizations, we write to urge the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the allegations of law enforcement abuses—in response to peaceful protests occurring in cities and on university campuses across the country—that may be in violation of federal laws. We likewise urge the Department of Education (ED) to take immediate action to address possible civil rights violations committed by university officials in connection with peaceful protests on campuses. Nonviolent protests are part of a longstanding tradition of activism in the United States to express concern and outrage for civil and human rights violations, press for policy change, and push officials, including government actors and university officials, to adhere to the ideals and principles of our multiracial democracy. Many current peaceful protesters, including students, faculty, and other stakeholders, are similarly exercising their constitutional rights by expressing their condemnation of the extreme and escalating violence in Gaza.