Two DePaul University students filed a lawsuit Wednesday morning against their university, alleging that DePaul failed to intervene in an alleged antisemitic attack against the students in November.
The lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, also claims that DePaul has failed to address a rise in antisemitism on its campus, particularly since Hamas’ attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and provide a safe environment for its Jewish and Israeli students.
“In filing this lawsuit, we hope not only to hold DePaul accountable to our clients for this attack, but to all Jewish students who live in constant fear for their safety on DePaul’s campus,” Jaclyn Clark, counsel at The Lawfare Project, said. “We also hope that this case will serve as a cautionary tale for colleges and universities across the country — you must take swift and decisive action now to protect your Jewish students.”
DePaul is the latest university to be sued for accusations of failing to address antisemitism following pro-Palestinian student demonstrations on campuses across the country last year.
On Tuesday, a federal judge said that Jewish groups may pursue a lawsuit against the University of California Berkeley for tolerating antisemitism on campus, Reuters reported. Harvard University settled two lawsuits claiming that the school failed to stop antisemitic harassment and bullying on campus the day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Other universities that have faced lawsuits over antisemitism since the Oct. 7 attack, including University of Pennsylvania and Northwestern University.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has taken significant steps to address what it calls antisemitism on campus, signing an executive order to “combat antisemitism” in schools and on college campuses and forming a federal task force to help carry out the order.
Under the Trump administration, the U.S. Department of Education sent letters to over 60 colleges and universities in March pressuring these institutions to address antisemitism on their campuses. Northwestern, which was included in the list, released a report Monday that there has been an 88% drop in reports of antisemitic conduct over the last year while highlighting steps the university has taken to address antisemitism on its campus.
In a statement to the Tribune, DePaul University said that it does not comment on pending litigation, emphasizing that the “safety and security of its students is of paramount importance.”
“We continue to work with the Chicago Police Department to investigate this incident to hold the attackers accountable. Our Student Affairs and Public Safety offices have been available to provide support for the students who were attacked, as well as others in our community who were affected by this attack,” the university said, emphasizing that it has invested in “programs, infrastructure and security” to ensure safety on its campus.
As of Wednesday, no arrests have been made in the attack, Chicago police said. At the time, police said in an alert that the unknown attackers approached the two victims on foot and made antisemitic remarks before punching them and described the alleged attack as a battery/hate crime.
The alleged attack
The plaintiffs in the case, first-year student Max Long and third-year student Michael Kaminsky, allege that on Nov. 6, 2024, they were physically assaulted by two individuals wearing ski masks. As they were being attacked, the suit claims that a campus public security officer witnessed the event and stood idly by.
Long, who immigrated to Israel in 2015 and previously served in the IsraelDefense Forces, had been hosting “ask me anything” sessions on campus starting around mid-October in 2024. The sessions were supposed to be opportunities for students to engage in peaceful dialogue with him about Israel and the ongoing war in Gaza.
The public safety office at DePaul was aware of the discussion sessions Long was hosting, according to the lawsuit, and had confirmed with Long at the start of each session that he was a DePaul student. On multiple occasions, the lawsuit alleges that Long was verbally harassed by pro-Palestinian students and had an altercation with a student on Oct. 30, in which the student allegedly said to Long “in any other circumstance, (Max) would find (himself) bleeding and on the ground.” The same student also allegedly threatened Kaminsky at an Oct. 7 anniversary event, where the student said to Kaminsky “I should spit on you.”
Long and Kaminsky reported the Oct. 30 incident to the university and met with an administrator to discuss what happened. The administrator informed Long that the university’s contract with a private security company that was hired to address student safety concerns was ending Nov. 4. The university did not take any steps to replace the private security company with an equivalent means of enforcement, according to the suit.
“Because DePaul was making statements regarding the cancellation of the private security contract to its students, not only did said cancellation leave its Jewish students vulnerable to attack, it also provided an opportunity for the attackers to plan their specific attack on Max and Michael for a time when they knew that the security on campus would be lacking,” the lawsuit said.
The day of the attack, the administrator Long had met with said she was meeting with the student who harassed Long on Oct. 30 and issued a “no-contact directive” between Long, Kaminsky and the student. Long had set up his “ask me anything” session that afternoon and a public safety officer positioned himself about 10 feet away from where Long was stationed. Kaminsky also joined Long that day for the session.
A male wearing a ski mask allegedly approached Long as he was standing outside the campus student center and initiated a conversation with him. Then, a second masked individual approached Long from behind and began repeatedly hitting Long. The two individuals continued to beat Long as he fell to the ground. The public security officer did not intervene or attempt to de-escalate the situation. At this point, Kaminsky intervened in an attempt to help Long, and was pushed to the ground and beaten by one of the offenders. The officer did not intervene in this instance either, according to the suit.
The two individuals then fled in opposition directions. One of the offenders was stopped by a different public safety officer, who let the individual go.
“Not only did Defendant fail to prevent the foreseeable attack, or implement reasonable safety measures to deter the criminal conduct, but equally disturbing, its Public Safety Office witnessed and observed DePaul students being attacked on DePaul’s campus and did nothing to stop it,” the lawsuit said.
Following the attack
The following day, Long and Kaminsky reported the attack to the Chicago Police Department and sought medical treatment that day. Long was diagnosed with a concussion and resulting injuries while Kaminsky had a fracture and other traumatic injuries to his wrist, which required surgery.
Kaminsky and Long were also informed around mid-November that the contract with the private security company had been renewed following their attack.
“Since then, we’ve been prone to threats, antisemitic slurs and persistent harassment from our peers,” Kaminsky said. “Yet the university continues to persist there is nothing they can do — no arrests, no accountability, no justice.”
The lawsuit alleges that Long specifically has been the target of a harassment campaign since the November attack, with social media posts and campus flyers calling Long an “IDF butcherer” and saying that he “got what he deserved.” Kaminsky has also been targeted, with social media posts calling him a “pro-genocide student,” the suit said.
“I’ve been doxed, harassed, stalked and physically attacked, not because I broke any rule, but because I dared to speak up,” Long said. “I dared to challenge misinformation, because I dared to exist proudly as a Jewish Zionist.”
Long continued, emphasizing the vulnerability he has felt since the November attack.
“I shouldn’t feel more vulnerable in a classroom in Chicago than I did in a combat zone. DePaul has failed me, not just as a student, but as a human being,” Long said. “Universities are supposed to be places of information, safety and dialogue, but instead they become platforms for fear, mob rule and censorship. That’s why I’m here to say enough.”
According to the suit, Long and Kaminsky are seeking “a sum in excess of $50,000.”
