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American University suspends Students for Justice in Palestine chapter

“The student organization was suspended for violations of university policies,” a spokesperson for the D.C. school told JNS.

American University
The entrance sign for American University in Washington, D.C. Credit: Samschoe via Wikimedia Commons.

The Students for Justice in Palestine chapter at American University, a private university in Washington, D.C., has been suspended for “violations of university policies,” a spokesperson for the school told JNS.

According to the university’s website, the suspension of the SJP chapter runs through Nov. 6, 2027, stemming from February 2025 findings against the group for violations of the university’s anti-discrimination policy.

On Feb. 25, 2025, university officials canceled an SJP event scheduled for that evening after reviewing a social media post advertising the program that “contained imagery and language that contributed to the safety concerns about the event.”

Administrators said the event “did not undergo the necessary safety assessment” and that the chapter failed to submit the content for review prior to posting. The social media graphic for the event, titled “Debunking Zionist Lies Workshop,” included the words “Smash Zionism!” alongside an image of a person in a red and white keffiyeh holding a slingshot.

The chapter had previously been placed on probation in 2024, according to the university.

In a statement posted on Feb. 11, the group wrote that it was suspended because SJP “set on exposing the Zionist lies and speak the truth of our people,” adding that “a suspension means nothing to us” and that “university repression will be met with resistance.”

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