After responding to Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre, former-Israeli Defense Forces soldier Max Long went to the U.S. to attend DePaul University where he was later assaulted while holding a sign that read, "Come talk about Israel with an IDF Soldier." Now, Long is working to sue the school so that something like that never happens again.
Long was a leading advocate for Israel on DePaul's Chicago-area campus, where he held discussions about Jewish civil rights and Israel's work to defend itself from Hamas' terror attack on Oct. 7. That day, Long was deployed by the IDF, as he was serving as a reservist with the Israeli military.
As a result, Long said he became the target of disgruntled protesters who harassed him and launched threats against his physical safety. Eventually, Long was beaten unconscious by an anti-Israel agitator on campus, leading to a concussion and other injuries.
Now, roughly two weeks later, a top Jewish civil rights law firm, The Lawfare Project, indicated Tuesday that Long had retained them to assist him in defending his civil rights and explore potential legal challenges against the school, including but not limited to Title VI, contract and tort claims. They will hold a press conference Thursday afternoon at DePaul's student center.
The firm also defended a Jewish student at Columbia University earlier this year in a Title VI suit, and shortly after they took legal action, Columbia amended its policies related to campus protesting. That case is still ongoing.
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"Colleges and universities across the United States are turning into literal battlegrounds where Jewish students are being singled out, discriminated against and beaten for their identity," said Brooke Goldstein, founder and executive director of The Lawfare Project. "No student — let alone one like Max who served in the IDF and went on the frontlines to destroy Hamas terrorists — should be subjected to physical, verbal or mental abuse for expressing their Jewish identity. DePaul failed Max and needs to be held accountable for its abject failure to protect Jewish students."
Meanwhile, Long added that he "will never apologize" for standing up for his Jewish identity and hopes no one at DePaul falls victim to the same sort of violence he experienced.
"I am in incredible pain with bruises all over my face, but I am grateful for the support I have received from the Jewish community at large and The Lawfare Project, specifically, and will continue to work to enforce my civil rights and against the hatred that has consumed American campuses," Long said Tuesday.
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Anti-Israel campus protests that began last year at Columbia University and spread to campuses across the country have continued this year, with Long's assault being one of the latest examples.
The assault against Long came when he and fellow Jewish student Michael Kaminsky stood on a sidewalk near DePaul's student union holding a sign that read, "Come talk about Israel with an IDF soldier."
At a certain point, Long began engaging in a conversation with an individual. During the slightly contentious, yet calm back-and-forth, a masked accomplice came from behind and knocked out Long. Kaminsky, who broke his wrist, helped fend off the attack before both suspects fled.
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Chicago police ultimately responded and determined what occurred was a hate crime. The suspects remain at-large, however.
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In addition to threatening the school with legal action, the Lawfare Project said that it will also work to ensure Long's attackers are brought to justice and penalized appropriately to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
DePaul University spokesperson Russell Dorn said in a statement to Fox News Digital that the school's president, Robert L. Manuel, is "outraged this hate crime occurred."
"The university condemns in the strongest possible terms the antisemitic targeting of these two Jewish students, and the lasting fear and anger that the act has inflicted on our Jewish and broader communities," Dorn added. "First and foremost, our concerns are for the two victims in this situation."
Dorn indicated that DePaul had reached out to Long and Kaminsky "to offer care and resources" and are actively working with Chicago police to help identify their perpetrators.
