Brown University has suspended the campus branch of Students for Justice in Palestine pending an investigation into its “intimidating” activity on campus, it was reported on Sunday.
In a statement following the suspension, which came into place on October 24, Brown said that “given the severity of alleged threatening, intimidating and harassing actions during an event on campus” the SJP branch would be suspended.
The event the statement refers to was a campus protest on October 18, in which student protesters from SJP campaigned against Brown Corporation for voting to not divest from Israel.
Following the suspension, and until the review is completed, SJP must cease all activities. Brown policy states that suspension of a group means it is not officially recognized as a campus organization and cannot hold meetings or events.
Brown added that while “protest is a necessary and acceptable means of expression,” it cannot allow protesters to “intimidate or harassment of community members, or infringe upon the rights of others.
“The implementation of the interim measures is based on the severity of the alleged behavior,” the statement added.
The statement said the investigation will take place externally. Brown said that should the investigation find that conduct codes were violated, sanctions will be applied.
Coalition criticizes suspension
The Brown Divest Coalition, an umbrella organization that includes SJP, called the temporary suspension “outrageous.”
BDC said these were “Brown’s efforts to intimidate anyone and everyone who attempts to hold Brown’s governing bodies accountable for their explicit support of genocide, apartheid, and scholasticide.”
According to the Brown Daily Herald, two days after the October 18 protest, Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy Russell Carey sent an email to Brown staff and students in which he called out the demonstrators’ “entirely unacceptable” behavior.
Carey cited reports that the protesters were “banging on a vehicle,” “screaming profanities at individuals,” and, at one point, used a “racial epithet directed toward a person of color.”
This is not the first SJP branch to be suspended or banned by a university. Brandeis University was the first private college to ban SJP, in November 2023.
In April, the University of Pennsylvania revoked the status of SJP as a registered student organization.
Columbia and George Washington suspended SJP in November of last year.