UW-Milwaukee temporarily suspends pro-Palestinian groups for 'intimidating' post

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee temporarily suspended five pro-Palestinian student groups for a social media message the local Jewish community called intimidating and threatening.

The student groups — Students for Justice in Palestine, the Muslim Student Association, Students for a Democratic Society, Young Democratic Socialists of America and Un-PAC — formed a coalition this spring called UW-Milwaukee Popular University for Palestine. The coalition set up an encampment to demand UW-Milwaukee cut ties with Israeli companies.

It was unclear what privileges the groups have lost. Among the potential sanctions listed in a UWM student organization manual were restriction of campus facility use, freeze on spending accounts, mandatory educational programming, meeting with a university official or loss of registered student status.

In an Instagram story posted mid-July, the coalition said any organization supportive of Israel is unwelcome at UWM. The story characterized Hillel Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Jewish Federation as "local extremist groups."

"We will no longer normalize genocidal extremists walking on our campus," the story said.

Hillel Milwaukee supports Jewish students at 11 local colleges and is based near UWM. The Milwaukee Jewish Federation is an umbrella organization distributing funds to a number of local groups, including social services agencies, schools and community programs. It also publicly advocates for the Jewish community.

UWM previously denounced the student coalition's post and any form of antisemitism. While hateful and intimidating speech is often legally protected, the university said it conflicts with campus expectations for respect.

On Wednesday, the university said it had temporarily suspended the groups as part of an ongoing investigation. It wasn't clear whether the investigation was a police or a student conduct matter, or both. UWM declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

The Milwaukee Jewish Federation said the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office determined the group's post fell within the bounds of free speech. The Wisconsin Law Journal later reported the DA's office was investigating the matter. The DA's office said Wednesday the investigation remains ongoing.

Student protesters on Thursday declined to comment on their suspension or the UWM investigation. They previously denied "targeting" the Jewish community despite naming two local Jewish groups. They argued any support of Israel was an extremist position and said "we refuse to normalize extremism on our campus."

Also Thursday, students affiliated with the Students for a Democratic Society and the Young Democratic Socialists of America attended a court hearing for disorderly conduct tickets they received after interrupting a UW Board of Regents meeting June 6.

Four of the students pleaded not guilty, while one student who recently graduated and moved out of state paid their ticket, according to Audari Tamayo of the Students for a Democratic Society.

"This is not the end of the struggle," student protester Kayla Patterson said.

Whether the charges are eventually dropped or the students pay the tickets, "it's not really going to deter us from taking action up on campus and in the community," she said.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW-Milwaukee suspends pro-Palestinian groups for 'intimidating' post