Citing “possible concerns or threats to the community,” American University in Washington abruptly canceled a Students for Justice in Palestine event titled “Debunking Zionist Lies Workshop.”

The event, which was shut down on Tuesday just hours before it was set to begin, was advertised online with a photo of a masked individual wielding a slingshot and the call to “Smash Zionism,” which the university said contained “imagery and language that contributed to the safety concerns.”

“This event did not undergo the necessary safety assessment,” American University wrote in a statement on Tuesday, announcing that the event would not take place that evening as advertised. “When evaluating safety conditions for campus events, AUPD examines possible concerns or threats to the community, the event organizers, attendees, or outside guests. We will work with student organizations to ensure they are aware of and engage in the necessary safety assessments for events.” 

The statement also noted that “the social media post about the event contained imagery and language that contributed to the safety concerns about the event, does not represent AU’s values and creates discord in our community.”

The post — which was not submitted to or reviewed by the university prior to its posting — is under evaluation, the university said. 

American University’s chapter of SJP has been under disciplinary probation since April 2024, following an indoor protest which the university had banned. 

The crackdown at AU comes as dozens of universities nationwide have started to respond to antisemitic incidents — particularly those stemming from SJP and affiliated anti-Israel groups — with a harder line since the Trump administration issued executive orders aimed at deterring campus antisemitism. 

One of the most stringent responses to anti-Israel campus activity came earlier this week when Barnard College expelled two second-semester seniors who last month disrupted a History of Modern Israel class.