Social justice law professor defends anti-Israel protesters who blocked traffic to Chicago airport
Share and Follow

A liberal law school professor who sparked controversy last spring during the campus unrest is helping organizers who staged a large anti-Israel protest near one of Chicago’s airports with free legal services.

Sheila Bedi, a Northwestern law professor who leads the school’s Community Justice and Civil Rights Clinic, is representing four of the protest organizers who were arrested during the mayhem, according to legal documents obtained by Fox News Digital. 

Bedi’s clinic is offering pro bono services to the activists who were part of the massive protest that caused traffic delays for travelers heading to Chicago O’Hare Airport last spring. The demonstration lasted for several hours before being broken up by police. 

According to the school’s website, her clinic aims to provide law students “with the opportunities to work within social-justice movements on legal and policy strategies aimed at redressing over-policing and mass imprisonment.” 

Northwestern protester sign

Students set up tents outside Northwestern University as part of an anti-Israel demonstration in Evanston, Illionis, on April 25, 2024. (Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“These are free legal services, or at least unpriced legal services,” Frank told the Free Beacon. “They’re paid for by the Northwestern budget, which in turn comes from tuition dollars, it comes from taxpayers, it comes from donations.”

“There’s an irony that these free lawyers, in a world where there’s so much legal need, devote scarce resources to defending people who want to destroy the very system of Western abundance in favor of barbarians.”

The group filed a class action lawsuit against what Frank called the “anti-American” organizers, arguing that they should have to pay civil damages to travelers who missed their flights or were forced to walk miles with their luggage to get to the airport. 

Anti-Israel signs seen at an encampment at Northwestern University

Students and residents camp outside Northwestern University during an anti-Israel protest on April 27. (Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Palestine Legal “Justice Fellow” Rifqa Falaneh was also named in the lawsuit, claiming she was a top organizer of the protest.

Falaneh was also a frequent face at the illegal encampments on the school’s campus, the Free Beacon reported. 

Falaneh also reportedly has filed a number of civil rights complaints against the university on behalf of students who she says “have been the target of anti-Palestinian discrimination.”

The O’Hare protest was one of many that broke out across the nation as hundreds of anti-Israel agitators shut down traffic and disrupted cities while demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.

In the wake of the campus unrest, several new bills in both houses of the Democratic-controlled state legislature aim to accomplish the goal by making it easier to sue colleges that don’t protect students from hate-based discrimination and attacks and requiring schools to hire an administrator to make sure they meet the requirements of federal civil rights law.

The move comes days after the Trump administration’s Department of Education announced an investigation into five prominent universities for allowing anti-Jewish hate to fester.

Fox News Digital reached out to Bedi, Palestine Legal and Northwestern University, but did not immediately receive a response. 

Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz contributed to this report. 

Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
FILE - Jeffrey R. Holland, member of the quorum of the twelve apostles, speaks during a news conference at the Conference Center, in Salt Lake City, Jan. 27, 2015. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File )

Jeffrey R. Holland’s Passing: The Future of LDS Church Leadership in Question

Jeffrey R. Holland, a prominent leader within the Church of Jesus Christ…
Florida bell ringer allegedly tries to 'impale' store manager with donation tripod while drunk

Florida Bell Ringer Accused of Attempting to Harm Store Manager with Donation Tripod in Alleged Drunken Incident

A Florida man employed as a Salvation Army bell ringer during the…
3 injured in fight turned shooting at Jacksonville Westside bar, officers said

Three People Hurt in Shooting After Fight Erupts at Jacksonville Westside Bar, Police Report

A confrontation that began inside a restaurant escalated when the alleged shooter…
Breathtaking Pacific cliff hides deadly secret in rich California city

Discover the Hidden Peril Lurking Beneath a Stunning Pacific Cliff in California’s Elite Enclave

California’s wealthiest suburb, Palos Verdes Estates, is known for its impressive average…
Times Square’s New Year’s Eve Ball gets a fresh crystal upgrade

Times Square’s Iconic New Year’s Eve Ball Receives a Stunning Crystal Enhancement

The iconic Times Square Ball is getting a makeover as older elements…
Streaking Nets' unexpected rise reaches new heights with win over Timberwolves

Brooklyn Nets Defy Odds with Thrilling Victory Over Timberwolves, Extending Impressive Winning Streak

Cam Thomas made his much-anticipated return to the court for the first…
Chicago crime: Police department warns of fake rideshare driver accused of sexual assault incidents in Old Town, Gold Coast

Giovanni Rosales Espinoza Apprehended and Charged with Aggravated Kidnapping in Porter, Texas, Reports MCSO

In a disturbing incident on Christmas Day, a Texas man has been…
FILE - Hoda Abrahim, founder and CEO of,

Empowering Narratives: How ‘Mo’ and ‘Muslim Matchmaker’ Redefine Arab and Muslim American Representation on TV

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Whether it’s through stand-up routines or a heartfelt…