FORMER JEWISH STUDENTS CLAIM COLLEGE MADE NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT OF 1975
MELBOURNE, Australia, Nov. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lawfare Project, the world's leading organization dedicated to protecting the civil and human rights of Jewish people, is proud to support a lawsuit filed by five Jewish students in the Australian State of Victoria against the Brighton Secondary College in Melbourne. The students assert that they were subjected to a significant number of violations of Australia's Racial Discrimination Act 1975 between 2013 and 2020.
The students—represented by attorney Richard Hutchings of Cornwalls and Adam Butt, barrister—show in their suit that the school had a failed system of education and discipline with respect to Jewish issues and concerns. This resulted in a normalized culture of antisemitism, where racist actions of students and school authorities went entirely unpunished.
"This case is significant for the Jewish community and for other minorities. Our clients experienced a hostile climate at the school and suffered tremendously. It is important that victims stand up for their rights," said Richard Hutchings, Cornwalls.
All of the applicants, except for one student who left the country for personal reasons, were forced to leave the school due to fears for their safety and well-being. With antisemitism rising globally, The Lawfare Project aims to help these students obtain justice for the years of hatred leveled against them and highlight the striking culture of normalized Jew-hatred that took place at the college.
"Antisemitism is growing as a global phenomenon and must be called out for the hate that it is," said Brooke Goldstein, founder and Executive Director of The Lawfare Project. "It is incredible that the State Government of Victoria continues to fight every aspect of this claim given that there were numerous hateful attacks leveled against these students. We stand united with these students and the entire Jewish community in Victoria and all of Australia."
The case is currently being litigated in the Federal Court of Australia, and a decision is expected in mid- to late 2023.
The Lawfare Project (LP) is the world's leading organization dedicated to protecting the civil and human rights of Jewish people worldwide through legal action.
