UC Santa Barbara and the University of California Regents have been hit with a lawsuit nearly two years after signs were posted in UCSB’s Multicultural Center criticizing then Associated Students President Tessa Veksler for her support of Israel.

Veksler filed a lawsuit in December alleging that UCSB collaborated with antisemitic protesters against her, violating their obligation to protect her personal safety, rejected her request for protection and assistance against antisemitic threats, failed to protect civil on-campus discourse, and refused to enable Veksler to receive the education she paid for. 

Veksler, who graduated UCSB in June 2024, faced intense criticism for her support of Israel in 2024, leading to a specific incident where signs were posted in the university’s Multicultural Center that read, “You can run but you can’t hide Tessa Veksler.”

Other signs stated: “Zionist not welcome”; “When people are occupied resistance is justified”; and “Get these Zionists out of office.”

The incident led to the university temporarily closing the center from late February until April 1. 

When Noozhawk reached out to UCSB for comment on the lawsuit, Kiki Reyes, the university’s media relations manager, said the university can’t discuss individual cases, but the campus does engage in outreach and offers resources and support services to students in addition to conducting investigations.

The university Police Department also meets with students who report issues and develops individual safety plans with them, Reyes said.

“UC Santa Barbara condemns antisemitism in the strongest possible terms,” Reyes said in a statement to Noozhawk. “Antisemitism and discrimination, including any efforts to intimidate or harass members of our community, has absolutely no place on our campus.

“The campus thoroughly investigates all reports of discrimination and harassment and takes appropriate actions to hold perpetrators accountable. We will continue to do all we can to prevent and address antisemitism and support students affected.”

In 2024, Veksler told Noozhawk that she received harassment on social media and found her name written on bathroom doors across campus since she began speaking about the ongoing war between Israel and Palestinians.

The lawsuit states that Veksler was accused online of supporting genocide, promoting Israeli propaganda, “singlehandedly” enforcing zionist aggression on campus, and people called for her resignation.

A petition was even started to recall Veksler from her position as Associated Students president. 

The lawsuit claims that after the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks, Veksler posted a statement online condemning the attacks. 

“She certainly decried the murder of innocents and the senseless violence of the attacks,” the complaint stated. “But in essence, she made clear that she stood ‘with my Jewish community/neighbors’ and ‘with the people of Israel.’”

Additionally, the claim states that following her post, Veksler became the target of threats of physical violence, harassment and intimidation, and cyberstalking and defamation. Her private phone number was also reportedly posted on Instagram. 

“Even Tessa taking a simple walk through the UCSB campus descended into an indulgence of that assault and abuse, with antisemitic crowds wielding blowhorns and screaming epithets and insults at her,” the complaint states. 

Veksler reportedly “pleaded” with UCSB to protect her from these assaults, but the lawsuit claims that the university “went out of its way to excuse” the ongoing behavior and called it “valid criticism of a political figure.”

Because of these incidents, the lawsuit claims that she was forced to “avoid large swaths” of campus throughout the 2023-24 school year and was unable to receive the full education that brought her to UCSB. 

“The damages Tessa suffered as a result of UCSB’s unlawful failures and collaboration against her with antisemitic campus mobs are deep and ongoing,” the lawsuit states.

“Beyond being deprived of part of the education she paid UCSB to receive, Tessa endured and continues to suffer excruciating trauma — including post-traumatic stress disorder —from the specter of entirely preventable physical violence, which but for UCSB’s actions she faced directly and repeatedly.”

The lawsuit was filed Dec. 11 by attorneys from Ellis George LLP.