First anniversary of brutal hate crime attack against two Jewish DePaul University students

The Lawfare Project issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the antisemitic attack of Max Long and Michael Kaminsky from DePaul University:

“Today marks one year since two of our clients — Jewish students Max Long and Michael Kaminsky — were brutally attacked and injured on the campus of DePaul University by masked assailants in a violent hate crime. These young men were targeted for one reason: because they are Jewish and unafraid to stand up against Jew-hatred.

One of the attackers, Adam Erkan, is now behind bars, awaiting trial on multiple felony counts — including hate crimes and aggravated battery — for this hate-fueled assault. But the other, whose identity is known to law enforcement, remains at large, despite video evidence and public calls for action.

That is unacceptable. We demand justice. Law enforcement must make the arrest, and the Cook County State’s Attorney must bring hate crime charges. The message must be clear: violence against Jews will not be tolerated, not on college campuses and not anywhere in America.

The Lawfare Project continues to fight for Max and Michael through the courts. Our civil action against DePaul University — for its failure to protect Jewish students and to address the climate of antisemitism that allowed this attack to occur — is ongoing, with a hearing scheduled in December. The lawsuit, filed in April 2025, alleges negligence and seeks not only damages, but also institutional policy reforms to safeguard Jewish students from future harm.

A year later, we still have two simple demands: accountability for the attackers, and accountability for the institutions that enabled this climate of hate. Justice delayed is justice denied, and the Jewish community will not be silent until justice is done.”