The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice has initiated an investigation into allegations of antisemitism at the University of Washington. This move comes after a student organization at the university arranged a fundraiser for a group described as the “Lebanese resistance,” according to Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Harmeet Dhillon, who made the announcement on Monday.
Dhillon shared on X, “Tomorrow, a student group—SUPER UW—is organizing a fundraising event for the ‘Lebanese resistance.’ This group has previously engaged in violent antisemitic activities on the University of Washington’s campus.” She further stated, “On Friday, I authorized a Civil Rights investigation of UW’s handling of antisemitism!”
The University of Washington has expressed its commitment to cooperating with the investigation and emphasized its strong opposition to antisemitism in any form. A university spokesperson conveyed this stance in a statement to Fox News Digital.
In an image captured on September 29, 2025, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon is seen attending a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. (Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
University officials were quick to clarify their position, distancing the institution from the student group responsible for organizing the event. They highlighted that SUPER UW is no longer affiliated with the university and noted that the fundraiser is taking place off campus.
School officials quickly distanced themselves from the group that organized the event, noting that SUPER UW was no longer affiliated with the University and that the event was being held off campus.
“The off-campus event referenced publicly appears to have been organized by a group falsely claiming affiliation with the University of Washington. That group’s registration was suspended in June 2024 and permanently revoked in May 2025,” Victor Balta, the school’s Vice President of Communications, told Fox News Digital.
The school cut ties permanently in May when SUPER UW, an acronym for Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return, took over a campus building resulting in property damage and arrests.
School President Ana Mari Cauce condemned the protesters at the time, calling their actions an “illegal building occupation.”
The school event went as far as trying to get Facebook to stop the group from using the UW name.
“We also notified Meta last year of this group’s unauthorized use of the University’s name on social media, and appealed Meta’s refusal to address this issue on March 10. That appeal is pending,” Balsa told Fox News Digital.
Anti-Israel protesters demonstrate at the University of Washington in March 2025. (Jason Redmond/AFP)
The University of Washington has already faced a Trump administration antisemitism review after anti-Israel protests last May, the same protests that led to SUPER UW’s campus expulsion.
The University of Washington campus logo is displayed on a building exterior amid increased scrutiny and controversy involving the university. (Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital contacted the DOJ and Meta, which operates Facebook, for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
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