Anti-Israel professor sues Northwestern for tenure loss, alleging political pressure

Steven Thrasher, a professor at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, has filed a lawsuit against the university and several federal officials, alleging he was denied tenure due to his participation in anti-Israel activities following the October 7, 2023, attacks. Thrasher, who joined Northwestern in 2019, was denied tenure in March and is set to leave in August. His lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, claims he was suspended from teaching after linking arms with faculty at an anti-Israel encampment in April 2024 and that the university succumbed to pressure from congressional Republicans and the Trump administration. Thrasher seeks reinstatement, tenure review, damages, and an injunction. Raeefa Shams of the Academic Engagement Network stated that "anti-Israel faculty helped to create an environment where Jewish and Zionist faculty and students on many campuses felt ostracized, bullied and even threatened."