Victory: Vast Majority of Charges Against GW SJP Dropped, Effort to Disband Group Defeated

After facing public backlash, George Washington University (GW) has dropped its baseless and discriminatory charges against our client, Arab American student organizer Lance Lokas. GW has also cleared GW Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) of a vast majority of charges against it. 

Last month, Palestine Legal shared a powerful statement by Lance Lokas, who has been repeatedly targeted by the university administration. On Friday, February 23rd, he was dragged before a disciplinary hearing, merely for participating in an on-campus event. 

Lance had already been placed on disciplinary probation and removed from the leadership of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at GW in a blatant attempt to silence and discipline his speech and advocacy for Palestinian rights on campus. New discriminatory and baseless charges from the university put Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at GW at risk of permanent disbandment, and Lance at risk of expulsion. 

This is not the first time GW has engaged in anti-Palestinian discrimination. It is already under federal investigation for violations of Title VI of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, following its cancellation of trauma support services for Palestinian community members in 2021, among other acts of discrimination, including against Lance Lokas.

Over 950 people took action in early March, with support from the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, to email GW demanding they drop the racist charges against SJP and Lance Lokas. 

We are happy to share that the results of Lance and SJP's hearings were a resounding victory: Arab American student organizer Lance Lokas was cleared of all charges, and SJP was also cleared of a vast majority of charges. The effort to permanently disband SJP has been defeated. 

"Whether it is GW administration or the Zionist lobby, we are capable of overcoming every obstacle, threat, and attack on our right to organize against the genocide of our people through the collective power of our community," said GW Students for Justice in Palestine. 

“The students at GW have demonstrated that no amount of institutional repression can silence dissent over US support for this genocide and the call for Palestinian liberation,” said Palestine Legal staff attorney Dylan Saba.