Two Jewish DePaul students filed a lawsuit against the university seeking over $50,000 in damages on Wednesday, accusing them of failing to protect them from assault.
The lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago, seeks damages for an event outside the DePaul Student Center on November 6, 2024, when masked attackers punched the Jewish students while they displayed their support for Israel.
The lawsuit alleged that "DePaul was, and still is, an extremely dangerous college campus due to the profound safety and security failures of its Public Safety Office, especially for Jewish and/or Israeli students," ABC reported.
The lawsuit claims a "DePaul public safety officer stationed just 10 feet away at the time did not intervene," CBS reported.
"At that point, a different Public Safety Officer stopped one of the assailants, but then inexplicably let him go," the lawsuit claims, according to CBS.
Two Jewish students have filed a lawsuit against DePaul University, alleging that the school failed to protect them from an antisemitic attack on campus last November. Police classified the incident as a hate crime, yet the university allegedly took inadequate action to ensure… pic.twitter.com/ak0bnfGwNT
— ChicagoJewishAlliance (@ChiJewishAllies) April 2, 2025
Chicago police said the attackers shouted antisemitic statements before attacking the two Jewish students, CBS added.
One of the students, Max Long, who was serving in the IDF during the Hamas's October 7 massacre, was attempting to speak with classmates "about Israel's efforts to defend itself," when he was attacked, CBS reported.
Michael Kaminsky then stepped in to support Max, and was also attacked. This resulted in an injury to Kaminsky's wrist which required surgery, his attorney Jaclyn Clark was cited by CBS as saying.
Long lost consciousness and suffered a brain injury, Fox News noted.
Kaminsky claimed that Long no longer attends class in person, but rather joins via an online connection, according to the Jewish Journal.
"DePaul University has done nothing to put a stop to this harassment, nor have they made any genuine effort since the attack to ensure the safety of their Jewish students moving forward," Clark said, according to CBS.
Long and Kaminsky claim the university was "aware of growing complaints of antisemitism on campus" but "didn't do enough to protect them," CBS reported.
According to the lawsuit, Long complained to the university about harassment and threats at prior campus discussions about the Israel-Hamas War, CBS notes.
The lawsuit also highlighted that a pro-Palestinian encampment had been set up for over two weeks in May 2024, leading to over 1,000 complaints, including credible threats of violence and at least one death threat.
Chicago Police removed the encampment after knives and pellet guns were found.
The lawsuit also alleged that DePaul ended a contract with a private security firm days before the November incident, only to rehire the firm after the event, CBS reported.
"Video footage captured part of the altercation, but no arrests have been reported," Fox News reported, but the attack is being treated by Chicago Police as a hate crime, the Chicago Sun Times reported.
Victims speak out
"I shouldn't feel more vulnerable in a classroom in Chicago than I did in a combat zone," Long said at a statement outside Cook County Circuit Court.
"DePaul has failed me, not just as a student but as a human being. Universities are supposed to be places of information, safety, and dialogue; but instead they've become platforms for fear, mob rule, and censorship," he added.
"I never imagined that being a proud Zionist would make me a target at my university," Long said.
"Jewish students should feel safe on their campuses. When universities infringe on those rights, they must be held accountable," Kaminsky added.
"We need to draw a line in the sand somewhere. When somebody crosses that line, action needs to be taken to hold those responsible," Kaminsky told ABC.
"Violent attacks on Jews are the foreseeable result of toxic campus atmospheres that universities – including, in this case, DePaul – have failed to address." Lawfare Project's Senior Counsel Gerard Filitti wrote on his X/Twitter.
"Make no mistake about it – universities are LIABLE for their failure to act. For their failure to keep their students safe. That’s what this lawsuit is about. This lawsuit seeks justice for Max and Michael, but also sends the unmistakably clear message that ignoring the legal rights of Jewish students to be free of intimidation, harassment, discrimination, and violence have consequences," Filitti added.
BREAKING: Lawsuit against DePaul UniversityThis morning, we filed a lawsuit against @DePaulU on behalf of Max Long and Michael Kaminsky, two Jewish students who were violently attacked last November on campus in an antisemitic hate crime. This attack was foreseeable. And it… pic.twitter.com/x9eB9eptbb
— Gerard Filitti (@GerardFilitti) April 2, 2025
The Lawfare Project stated that "DePaul University has not taken appropriate steps to address the incident or protect Jewish students on campus," Fox News reported.
DePaul officials did not comment on the lawsuit's allegations, but stated that "the safety and security of our students is of paramount importance," CBS noted.
"We unequivocally condemned this violent attack when it occurred. Such an act clearly defies DePaul's values to uphold and care for the dignity of every individual," the university added. "DePaul strongly condemns antisemitism and is actively engaging with local and national leaders to better understand how to address this scourge of hate, which is affecting many communities across the US," CBS added.
