McGill University accused of failing to prevent antisemitism in class action application

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 08, 2025 7:52 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

A McGill University undergrad is hoping to motorboat a class-action suit against the schoolhouse for allegedly failing to support Jewish students from antisemitism and favoritism connected field since Oct. 8, 2023.

Backed by a Montreal instrumentality steadfast and B'nai Brith Canada, the exertion to motorboat a people action was filed successful Superior Court Tuesday. It has not yet been authorized.

The suit is seeking reimbursement of 33 per cent of the aggregate tuition and pupil fees paid by each people subordinate successful respect of the play since Oct. 8, 2023, and punitive damages successful the magnitude of $5 cardinal for harm suffered by the people arsenic a whole.

The suit is asking that each Jewish students registered astatine McGill University beryllium included, beryllium they undergraduate, masters, continuing education, doctoral oregon post-doctoral students. It estimates that determination could beryllium astir 4,000 plaintiffs. 

The applicant seeking authorization successful this lawsuit is David Cobrin, who is being represented by Fishman Flanz Meland Paquin LLP.

Cobrin alleges that McGill University failed to enforce its ain policies to support Jewish students from harassment, favoritism and antisemitism, peculiarly since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led onslaught connected Israel.

McGill is accused of breaching its obligations nether its Code of Student Conduct and different interior policies by allowing an situation of antisemitic sentiment and not taking capable disciplinary oregon preventive measures, the suit says. 

The suit is seeking fiscal compensation for affected students and asks the tribunal to compel McGill to meaningfully enforce its policies to guarantee Jewish students are protected and that anti-Zionism is recognized arsenic "a manifestation of antisemitism."

"B'nai Brith Canada is supporting McGill's Jewish students due to the fact that the assemblage has allowed the concern to get retired of hand," said Henry Topas, B'nai Brith Canada's determination manager for Quebec in a statement. 

"Radicalized individuals, some students and non-students, are preventing Jewish students from obtaining the assemblage acquisition to which they are entitled."

The suit cites dozens of examples of what it says contributed to harassment, favoritism and antisemitism connected campus, including a two-and-a-half-month, pro-Palestinian encampment connected the school's little tract that called for the schoolhouse to divest from Israel-related funds.

It cites an Instagram station allegedly made the time aft the onslaught connected Oct. 8, 2023, by Students successful Solidarity with Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR). It was an authoritative pupil nine astatine the time. It described Hamas' battle and taking of hostages arsenic "heroic" and urged radical to "celebrate the resistance's success," the suit says.

WATCH | Students inactive heated implicit Gaza conflict: 

In the years since, tensions connected field person escalated and astatine times become violent. The exertion cites respective Instagram posts made by SPHR, protests, vandalism and decisions made by the schoolhouse and governing bodies, specified arsenic the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU).

"Since Oct. 8, 2023, applicant feels that helium has not received the afloat grade of the assemblage acquisition to which helium has a close and morganatic expectation," the exertion states.

McGill University declined a petition for remark Tuesday evening.