A Students for Justice in Palestine social media post about an upcoming event raised multiple concerns. We conducted a full evaluation of the situation this morning and are taking the following actions:

The event will not take place tonight as advertised. We always prioritize the well-being of our community and regularly conduct safety assessment for campus events. This event did not undergo the necessary safety assessment. When evaluating safety conditions for campus events, AUPD examines possible concerns or threats to the community, the event organizers, attendees, or outside guests. We will work with student organizations to ensure they are aware of and engage in the necessary safety assessments for events. 

In addition to the above, the social media post about the event contained imagery and language that contributed to the safety concerns about the event, does not represent AU’s values and creates discord in our community. This content, which was not submitted to or reviewed by the university prior to its posting, is being evaluated to determine any potential conduct violations and associated impacts on the student organization’s ongoing probation.

American University is committed to providing a welcoming, inclusive, and non-discriminatory environment for all our students, faculty, and staff. This event advertisement was hurtful to members of our Jewish community. We will steadfastly pursue our ongoing work to support our Jewish community, educate the broader AU community about the danger and harm of antisemitism, and build the important connections and understanding that can help us work and learn together.