In testimony before a House committee, the university leaders said there was a fine line between protecting free speech and allowing protests, while also combatting antisemitism. “Harvard must provide firm leadership in the fight against antisemitism and hate speech even while preserving room for free expression and dissent. This is difficult work, and I admit that we have not always gotten it right,” said Claudine Gay, of Harvard. In recent weeks, the federal government has opened investigations into several universities — including Penn and Harvard — regarding antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus. Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, the committee's ranking Democrat, criticized Republicans for “stoking culture wars” while claiming to be combatting discrimination on campus.

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Persons: “, ”, Claudine Gay, ” Gay, Liz Magill, Sally Kornbluth, ” Magill, Virginia Foxx, Bobby Scott of Virginia, Scott Organizations: WASHINGTON, Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “ Harvard, Penn, MIT, The Education Department, Education, Workforce, intersectionality, ” Rep, Republicans, Education Department, Civil, “, Associated Press, Carnegie Corporation of New, AP Locations: Israel, North Carolina, Carnegie Corporation of New York