Milagro Jones, a senior at the University of California, Las Angeles (UCLA), has filed a historic lawsuit against the university for violations of California Civil Rights statutes. Jones went viral on social media after videos surfaced of encampment protestors physically assaulting him, blocking his movement across campus, and threatening him with violence and racial slurs.
The lawsuit against the university accuses it of permitting unchecked harassment, intimidation, and violence against minority students.
The lawsuit comes in the wake of widespread protests and encampments on American university campuses fueled by anger and frustrations over the ongoing Israel-Hamas War. Violence, vandalism, arrests, and educational disruptions have plagued college campuses, creating a hostile education environment.
At UCLA, the pro-Palestinian encampment led to violent outbursts between protestors and counterprotestors. Videos arose of protestors denying students, particularly Jewish students, entry and limiting movement across the campus.
The intended message was for the university to divest from businesses aligned with Israel and express their support for a ceasefire, however Jewish and non-Jewish students have reported discrimination and violence.
On April 26, Milagro Jones, and an African American Christian student attempted to cross the illegal encampment when protestors mistook him as an “Israeli agitator” and blocked his path.
“They assaulted me with open arms, bodychecked me with their bodies. They linked their arms together, pushed, shoved, and got in my space,” Jones recounted. To protect himself, Jones sat on the floor, surrounded by approximately 30 students, who held him there for over an hour.
In a subsequent incident, Jones was recording the encampment when agitated protestors labeled him a Zionist and threatened to shoot him. They pushed him away from the encampment, grabbed his phone, and smashed it against the pavement.
Jones alleges that these incidents were dismissed by the university, pointing to a larger pattern of antisemitism and racism that extends beyond student-led encampments to include the UCLA administration and faculty. According to Jones, the university reached an agreement with the protestors, allowing them to control who could pass through the encampment, which led to discrimination based on appearance.
Jones explains that when the encampments were set up, the university reached an agreement with Anti-Zionist protestors that allowed them to determine who could and could not pass through the encampment, which allowed them to discriminate against students based on appearance.
“It definitely did not start off as peaceful. From the very first day the encampment was set up, they had a system where, in order to enter you had to have stickers, stamps, or someone to vouch for you… and they determined it all just by looking at you, at your face,” Jones explained.
If a student appeared Jewish, they would force him to denounce Zionism in order to pass through. “They discriminated against me, and I wasn’t even Jewish. They decided just by looking at me that I looked Jewish.”
Jones argues that UCLA’s actions, or lack thereof, have allowed discrimination against students based on religious, ethnic, and political views. “The university should have stepped up and disbanded the camp. Instead, they let it grow worse and worse, to the point where Eleanor [a pro-Israel student] was beaten unconscious.”
This is not the first instance of antisemitism and racism at UCLA. Jones has faced discriminatory treatment for the past two years, including filing a Title IX report on behalf of a Jewish student last quarter.
His current lawsuit claims that UCLA permitted, abetted, and appeased violent protestors, violating California Civil Rights statutes. If successful, the lawsuit could highlight a pattern of UCLA allowing discrimination and intimidation based on race, religion, and perceived political beliefs, potentially influencing how universities across the nation handle such issues.
4 View gallery
Confronatations between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinians at UCLA
(PHoto: REUTERS/David Swanson)
Jones has not been protected by the university and has faced ostracization from friends, who posted videos about him. University lecturers threatened to fail him, and the registrar's office has delayed his graduation process.
In contrast, Jones found support among the counterprotestors. When attending their rallies, he was met with music and positivity. He was welcomed into their community, attended Hillel and Chabad Shabbat dinners, and was invited into Jewish student’s homes to celebrate Shabbat.
Israeli students shared their experiences, their family, and their life in Israel. This support has strengthened his resolve to advocate against antisemitism and for open-minded dialogue.
Jones’ journey highlights the need for universities to protect all students and foster an environment of inclusivity and respect. His lawsuit against UCLA aims to bring to light the discrimination he and others have faced and to push for systemic changes to prevent such incidents in the future.
Through his experience, Jones emphasizes the importance of approaching conflicts with an open mind and heart, advocating for peace and understanding.