The Division of Justice put Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on discover in regards to the feds’ plan to go to her to gauge how Metropolis Corridor is responding to “incidents of antisemitism” on the Hub’s colleges and school campuses over the previous two years.
Wu was certainly one of 4 big-city mayors to be notified of an impending go to from the DOJ’s Federal Process Power to Fight Antisemitism, which was created by way of an government order from President Donald Trump.
Process Power management mentioned it was following up on allegations that colleges within the 4 focused cities, Boston, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, “may have failed to protect Jewish students from unlawful discrimination, in potential violation of federal law.”
“Too many elected officials chose not to stand up to a rising tide of antisemitism in our cities and campuses following the horrific events of October 7, 2023,” Legal professional Common Pam Bondi mentioned in a press release, referring to the Hamas terrorist assault on Israel that sparked battle within the area. “Actions have consequences — inaction does too.”
Main Process Power member and Senior Counsel to the Assistant Legal professional Common for Civil Rights Leo Terrell mentioned he intends for the Process Power to fulfill with metropolis management, impacted college students, native regulation enforcement, and neighborhood members in Boston, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, “as it gathers information” in regards to the alleged incidents and “considers whether federal intervention is warranted.”
Three of the mayors, Wu, Eric Adams of New York and Brandon Johnson of Chicago, appeared earlier than a Republican-led Congressional oversight committee final week as a part of the Home committee’s probe of sanctuary cities and the way their restricted cooperation with federal immigration authorities impacts public security.
“The Task Force looks forward to meeting with the mayors and other municipal leaders in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston to quickly and effectively identify ways that, working together or apart, we return safety, civility and sanity to our nation’s schools,” Terrell mentioned in a press release.
“These meetings, in conjunction with our visits to university campuses across the country, are just two of the many actions President Trump and Attorney General Bondi are taking to end this scourge of antisemitism,” he added.
A Wu spokesperson disputed the DOJ’s assertion that the mayor was notified in regards to the go to, saying in a press release, “We were made aware of this inquiry from media reports and will determine the right way to participate as we learn more and discuss with our Jewish community leaders and partners.”
“Boston has one of the most vibrant Jewish communities in America, a source of pride and strength for our City and our region, and we stand firmly against antisemitism,” the Wu spokesperson mentioned.
The conferences with Wu and the three different mayors had been initiated by the DOJ quickly after the U.S. Division of Training warned 60 faculties and universities from throughout the nation of potential enforcement actions if they don’t shield Jewish college students on their campuses.
9 of the universities and universities focused by Trump this week are from New England, together with two from Boston.
The Division of Training letter was despatched to Boston College, Emerson School, Harvard College, Tufts College, UMass Amherst and Wellesley School, in addition to Middlebury School in Vermont, Brown College in Rhode Island and Yale College in Connecticut.
The 2 federal notifications come after pro-Palestinian college students at faculties and universities across the nation held protests final yr in opposition to Israel’s battle in Gaza. Israel declared battle on Hamas after the terrorist group launched a shock assault within the nation on Oct. 7, 2023 that killed 1,200 folks.
Roughly 48,000 Palestinians have been killed throughout the battle, in accordance with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.
Boston Police, at Wu’s route, arrested greater than 100 folks final yr at an Emerson School encampment arrange within the Boylston Place Alley in downtown Boston. School officers later banned protests within the alleyway and put in place restrictions on public demonstrations.
The mayor was criticized for the arrests, with pupil protestors claiming they had been injured by zip ties whereas being taken into custody. Some metropolis councilors additionally condemned the police response as “heavy-handed.”
Officers at Harvard College sanctioned 35 college students who protested in opposition to the battle in Gaza final yr by organising an encampment on the establishment.
Whereas solely two of the six Massachusetts faculties focused this week by the feds have campuses positioned in Boston, Tufts has extra services positioned within the Hub and Harvard is a part of the town’s fee in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, program.
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