A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against UCLA, prohibiting the university from barring Jewish students from accessing classes and campus facilities.

The ruling was made by U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi in response to a lawsuit filed in June by three Jewish students who claimed they were excluded due to their faith during pro-Palestinian protests.

This ruling represents the first instance of a U.S. judge siding against a university regarding protests related to the Israel-Hamas war.

The plaintiffs alleged discrimination on campus, claiming UCLA failed to protect their access due to their Jewish faith during the protests.

The judge noted that Jewish students avoided major campus areas due to the risk of violence associated with the protests.

The protests at UCLA are part of a broader national movement on college campuses regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict, with increasing tensions and incidents.

This ruling follows a previous order from Judge Scarsi for UCLA to develop a plan to protect Jewish students amid ongoing protests.

UCLA officials stated the order could hinder their response to campus events and indicated plans to appeal the injunction.

This ruling is unprecedented regarding university responses to anti-Israel protests that have surged on American campuses this year.

Yitzchok Frankel, one of the students involved in the lawsuit, expressed gratitude for the ruling, emphasizing that no student should fear being blocked from campus due to their faith.

Judge Scarsi criticized the university for allowing Jewish students to be denied access based on their religious beliefs, stating it violated constitutional guarantees of religious freedom.

The lawsuit alleged that UCLA created a 'Jew Exclusion Zone' by erecting bike rack barriers and hiring security that allowed protesters to obstruct Jewish students.