Melody Di-Donato, a Jewish former IT employee at Pomona College in Southern California, has sued the prestigious institution, saying a wave of pro-Palestinian protests in 2024 made her feel extremely unsafe and pushed her to resign. She is seeking at least $1 million in damages in a case filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
According to the lawsuit, protesters took over parts of the campus, including the commencement stage and the president’s office, while Di-Donato says she was exposed for months to antisemitic graffiti and broken glass around campus. Her attorney, David Tcherdian, told the Daily Mail that the protests blocked her client’s “free access to the entire community” and subjected her to unlawful discriminatory and harassing conduct.
Di-Donato said she emailed human resources in May 2024 about her mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder, which she said stemmed from the violent, antisemitic demonstrations. She also alleges that her manager sent an anti-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu message that made her feel singled out as a Jewish American, with the message carrying the subject line, “Welcome to the state of apartheid.”
The complaint says Pomona College failed to address her concerns, did too much to accommodate the demonstrators, did not clear protest encampments and allegedly refused to increase police presence. It also says the breach of the president’s office deepened her fear that protesters could take over more administrative buildings. Di-Donato says she took medical leave in June 2024 and was effectively forced out by May 2025 because her emotional distress prevented her from working on campus. Pomona College denies the allegations and says it will defend itself in court, while reiterating that antisemitism and all forms of discrimination and harassment have no place on campus.
