House Education Committee Chairman Tim Walberg says records show Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss refused police support to Northwestern University during an April 2024 encampment that allegedly targeted Jewish students. Walberg has requested a briefing and documents on local law-enforcement coordination and the mayor’s response. The dispute comes after federal scrutiny that led to a $75 million settlement with Northwestern and a temporary freeze of roughly $790 million in funds.
House Committee Seeks Answers After Evanston Mayor Allegedly Denied Police Support to Northwestern During Israel-Related Protests
Students and residents camp outside Northwestern University during an anti-Israel protest, expressing solidarity with Palestinians with banners in Evanston, Ill., April 27.(Getty Images)
House Education and Workforce Committee records allege that Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss declined requests for city police support when Northwestern University faced a pro-Palestinian encampment in April 2024, a move the committee says left Jewish students exposed to harassment and alleged assaults. Committee Chairman Rep. Tim Walberg (R‑Mich.) has asked the mayor for a briefing and documentation about his office’s coordination with local law enforcement.
Allegations and Committee Request
In a letter to Mayor Biss, Chairman Walberg wrote that committee records "show documents that suggest you refused to provide requested law enforcement support to clear an encampment at Northwestern." The letter requests a detailed briefing on "local law-enforcement coordination" and related documents to help determine whether legislative action addressing antisemitic discrimination is needed.
Students and residents camp outside Northwestern University during a pro-Palestinian protest, expressing solidarity with Palestinians with banners in Evanston, Ill., April 27, 2024.
"I write with grave concern regarding your failure to protect Jewish students at Northwestern University (Northwestern) by refusing to give the university the police support it desperately needed to clear its violent and antisemitic encampment in April 2024." — Rep. Tim Walberg
Timeline and Context
Northwestern was among several U.S. campuses disrupted by demonstrations after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel. According to reporting, an encampment on Northwestern’s Evanston campus lasted four days in April 2024 and ended with an agreement between protesters and the university. The university reportedly attempted arrests on April 26 but could not proceed because it lacked sufficient police support after the mayor allegedly declined to provide additional officers.
Federal Scrutiny And Settlement
In November, the U.S. Department of Education announced a settlement with Northwestern requiring the university to pay $75 million and to take steps to protect students and staff from hostile environments directed at Jewish students. The department had previously frozen roughly $790 million in funds pending civil-rights inquiries tied to campus conduct.
Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Mich., sent a letter to Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss requesting he address alleged inaction about encampments set up at Northwestern University by anti-Israel agitators.
Additional Details And Responses
Walberg’s letter cites a Northwestern trustee who allegedly said the mayor avoided the campus to bolster his progressive credentials and warned university leaders of potential political fallout. Mayor Biss reportedly wrote to the Department of Education asking how the federal agreement with Northwestern might affect the city of Evanston. Northwestern is a major local employer, with more than 6,500 staff and faculty in the city.
As of the committee’s letter, neither Northwestern University nor Evanston city officials had immediately responded to requests for comment on the committee’s allegations. The committee has requested a briefing and supporting documents to clarify the mayor’s role and local law-enforcement coordination during the incidents.
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