Pro-Palestinian group reinstated at Rutgers University

🔺 Pro-Palestinian student group reinstated at Rutgers University

🔺 Group was accused of disruptions on campus

🔺 Federal investigation is still underway

A pro-Palestinian student group has been reinstated on the New Brunswick campus of Rutgers University but has been placed on probation by school officials.

After the decision was made for reinstatement, leaders of the group Students for Justice in Palestine promptly held a news conference.

With their faces covered and refusing to give their names, three leaders of SJP said they feared for their safety and have been subject to threats on campus.

The group has claimed, "Israeli sympathizers are promised security, comfort, and permission to grieve. Palestinian American students are not."

Students for Justice in Palestine demand protection

SJP leaders are demanding Rutgers do more to protect the political rights of Palestinian students who are exercising free speech and political rights.

The group is also demanding that the university publicly acknowledge genocide against Palestinians and advocate for a cease fire in the war with Israel.

In addition, SJP wants Rutgers to divest itself from any company that upholds "Israeli settler-colonialism, apartheid, and genocide."

What happened to get SJP suspended by Rutgers?

In December, Rutgers announced Students for Justice in Palestine on the New Brunswick campus was suspended because of violations of the University Code of Student Conduct.

Members disrupted classes, a program, meals, and students as they study, the school said in a statement. The statement also added that the group vandalized a building on campus.

The group, in a statement on its Instagram account, said Rutgers did not give the group any details about the incidents or a chance to challenge the allegations. However, it did admit to holding "peaceful protests" in designated free speech areas.

A Rutgers spokesperson confirmed to NJ.com that the suspension had been lifted following an investigation by the university but did not give any details.

A federal investigation

It was also revealed in December that the Rutgers University Newark campus was under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for "ethnic discrimination" that allegedly occurred after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.

Details of the complaint have not been disclosed and the status of the investigation is not clear.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5) was not happy to hear that Rutgers is allowing SJP to again operate on campus.

Gottheimer said he was "dismayed" and issued a terse reminder to university officials of "their responsibility under Title VI to protect all of their students and the severe consequences if they fail to do so."

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