Wayne State University Under Fire for Sweeping FOIA Request to Quell Pro-Palestinian Activism
A Jewish civil rights organization, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), has quietly demanded thousands of internal emails at Wayne State University that reference Palestine or Zionism. The sweeping Freedom of Information Act request, filed in February 2024, targeted faculty, staff, and administrators who were associated with pro-Palestinian groups on campus.
The ADL's search query was extensive, including references to "From the River to the Sea" and other terms related to Palestinian activism. This led to nearly 7,500 emails from over 14,000 accounts, including management and journalists at WDET, a public radio station owned by Wayne State University.
Despite producing significant records, the ADL never picked up on any information. Critics argue that this request was an attempt to intimidate and surveil pro-Palestinian voices on campus.
"This is a disgusting attempt to stifle free speech," said one pro-Palestinian professor. "I'm absolutely appalled. The ADL will stop at nothing to rid campuses of pro-Palestinians."
Wayne State officials have faced heavy scrutiny over their handling of pro-Palestinian activism, including the brutal dismantling of a peaceful protest encampment on campus in May 2024. University administrators have repeatedly refused to meet with supporters of Gaza and broken up subsequent protests.
The ADL's tactics have been widely criticized by civil rights advocates for conflating legitimate protest with hate speech. The organization has previously called for federal investigations into campus activism that it claims supports Hamas, leading to crackdowns on dissent nationwide.
Wayne State officials did not comment on the FOIA request, and WDET journalists were included in the search query. Critics claim that this was a deliberate attempt to silence criticism of Israel.
"This wasn't about protecting Jewish students," said another professor who was affected by the request. "It was about silencing criticism of Israel."
A Jewish civil rights organization, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), has quietly demanded thousands of internal emails at Wayne State University that reference Palestine or Zionism. The sweeping Freedom of Information Act request, filed in February 2024, targeted faculty, staff, and administrators who were associated with pro-Palestinian groups on campus.
The ADL's search query was extensive, including references to "From the River to the Sea" and other terms related to Palestinian activism. This led to nearly 7,500 emails from over 14,000 accounts, including management and journalists at WDET, a public radio station owned by Wayne State University.
Despite producing significant records, the ADL never picked up on any information. Critics argue that this request was an attempt to intimidate and surveil pro-Palestinian voices on campus.
"This is a disgusting attempt to stifle free speech," said one pro-Palestinian professor. "I'm absolutely appalled. The ADL will stop at nothing to rid campuses of pro-Palestinians."
Wayne State officials have faced heavy scrutiny over their handling of pro-Palestinian activism, including the brutal dismantling of a peaceful protest encampment on campus in May 2024. University administrators have repeatedly refused to meet with supporters of Gaza and broken up subsequent protests.
The ADL's tactics have been widely criticized by civil rights advocates for conflating legitimate protest with hate speech. The organization has previously called for federal investigations into campus activism that it claims supports Hamas, leading to crackdowns on dissent nationwide.
Wayne State officials did not comment on the FOIA request, and WDET journalists were included in the search query. Critics claim that this was a deliberate attempt to silence criticism of Israel.
"This wasn't about protecting Jewish students," said another professor who was affected by the request. "It was about silencing criticism of Israel."
This is super concerning 
, wayne state university should be ashamed of themselves for getting bullied into handing over all these emails by a group that's trying to silence people with different opinions 
. The ADL's request was basically a fishing trip, and they were just hoping to catch some pro-Palestinian voices to crucify 
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. But instead of engaging in a constructive dialogue, the ADL is trying to intimidate and stifle those voices 
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. You need to listen to their concerns, have an open conversation, and work towards finding common ground 
. Silencing criticism of Israel by silencing people who are advocating for Palestinian rights is just not okay 
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. Maybe it's time for some leadership that actually cares about the values of free speech and open inquiry 
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. Like, I get why people want to know what's going on on campus, but an email search query that's so broad? It's like they're trying to catch everything and nobody else at all 
. And WDET journalists were included in the search too... that's not right 
. Wayne State should really look into their handling of these requests and make sure they're not unfairly targeting anyone 
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. As a student, I value being able to express my opinions and engage in debates without fear of reprisal 
. This whole thing just reeks of censorship 
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. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian professors are getting harassed and silenced because of this ridiculous FOIA request 
!
. It's time someone took a stand against pro-Palestinian activism and showed those students who's boss 
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. This is not about Jewish students or campus security, it's about silencing dissenting voices... 
, casting a chill on the very freedom to express opinions without fear of reprisal. I mean, come on, searching for thousands of internal emails that mention Palestine or Zionism? It's like they're fishing for fish sticks - they want to catch people off guard and make them feel uncomfortable.
. This request was not about protecting anyone; it was about stifling dissenting voices, particularly those who are advocating for Palestinian rights. I've seen what happens when you label something "hate speech" - suddenly, people get very quiet, and their freedom to express themselves is curtailed.
. The ADL might be able to hide behind the banner of civil rights, but its actions speak louder than words. It's time for universities to stand up and defend their students' right to free expression, even if it means disagreeing with certain views.
- that's like asking them to self-censor just because someone else is watching their every move. Give me a break!
. Like, who searches for "From the River to the Sea" in an email? It sounds like they were trying to catch people saying some pretty extreme stuff 
. And then they get all these records but don't actually find anything problematic? That's just weird 
. It sounds like there was some serious bullying going on 
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. And that's not okay 
. We need to stand up for free speech and support those who are fighting for justice in Palestine 
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. The fact that they never found anything important says more about the ADL's motives than anything else