Cincinnati SJP States Chapter Placed on Probation Following April Conference Protest
CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati (UC) chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) announced Aug. 9 that it had been placed on probation following disciplinary proceedings related to its April 21 protest of a university-sponsored conference on the Abraham Accords.
“The University has delivered its decision,” SJP said in an Instagram video. The organization thanked those who submitted testimony and appeared in support of the chapter. It also said it plans to participate in UC’s freshman involvement fair.
UC has not publicly confirmed the decision, its duration or any conditions imposed on SJP. Under UC’s student conduct rules, an organization on probation is not considered in good disciplinary standing. Probation may include additional requirements or restrictions, and another violation can result in suspension or dismissal.
SJP announced July 12 that it faced possible suspension over the April protest. According to the chapter, the University accused it of failing to identify or register the protest, refusing a request to lower its megaphone volume, disrupting the conference through excessive noise and obstructing an entrance.
SJP denied the allegations, arguing that the protest did not require registration, that the request to lower the volume was not a formal directive and that attendees were able to enter and leave the building.
The protest occurred on the final day of “Shifting Paradigms, New Horizons,” an April 19–21 conference examining the Abraham Accords, U.S.–Israel relations and the future of the Middle East.
During the protest, demonstrators chanted, “Free Palestine until all the Zionists are dead.” Demonstrators photographed conference attendees before the disruption. Entrances were obstructed, and UCPD officers ultimately escorted some participants to their vehicles for safety.
Before the disciplinary decision, SJP solicited photographs, videos and testimony from the broader community. The submission process directed supporters to a webpage associated with Young United Souls for Revolutionary Action (YUSRA), an organization led by former CAIR Ohio Outreach Director Victoria Hickcox.
UC has not answered questions about which witnesses were invited to participate in the disciplinary process. Conference organizers, presenters and attendees contacted by The American Israelite said they had not been notified of or invited to participate in the hearing.
One student who attended the conference said the reported sanction did not go far enough.
“I think this is disappointing, but it is better than nothing,” the student said. “Personally, I would have preferred to see the organization banned months ago over its stickers declaring, ‘Long live the intifada.’”
Rachel Kaplan, executive director of Hillel Cincinnati, said SJP members “disrupted a campus conference on the Abraham Accords, clearly violating University of Cincinnati policy.”
“We expect the University of Cincinnati to consistently enforce the code of conduct in response to such incidents—for every student, on every issue,” Kaplan said. “The university must make clear through its actions, not just its policies, that Jewish students are protected on this campus.”
Rabbi Yitz Creeger of Chabad at UC emphasized the University’s responsibility to foster a secure environment for Jewish life.
“Our goal is to have a vibrant and proud Jewish student community that can safely and openly learn and grow in their Jewish knowledge and practice,” Creeger said. “The University’s responsibility is to encourage an environment where this can happen, which includes understanding and being clear and firm when it comes to groups, individuals and ideologies that oppose that. We look forward to working with the administration to create this secure climate at UC.”
The University did not respond to repeated requests for comment before publication. The American Israelite will continue to follow the story as additional information becomes available.
