College Investigating Complaint Against Harvard Republican Club Over Post on Islamic Society Eid Event

The Harvard College Dean of Students Office is investigating a formal complaint against the Harvard Republican Club over potential violations of the College’s harassment and photography policies.

College spokesperson Jonathan Palumbo confirmed in a Tuesday statement that the complaint had been referred to the DSO’s Student Engagement team, which handles cases of alleged misconduct by registered student organizations.

The complaint stems from a controversial April 4 post to the club’s official X account criticizing the Harvard Islamic Society’s Eid al-Fitr celebration in the courtyard of Quincy House.

The post, which remains pinned at the top of the HRC’s page, included photographs and video taken at the event. It alleged that “Harvard’s historic Quincy Courtyard had been turned into a bazaar selling Hijabs, Burqas and Qurans,” that “large prayer mats covered the grass,” and that the event attracted “dozens of unvetted strangers who roamed outside student dorms.” It also claimed that speakers “blasted Islamic music.”

“Harvard has been captured,” it stated.

Though the HRC described the celebration as “open to the public,” it was limited to Harvard affiliates and their guests, with organizers requiring attendees to RSVP in advance. The event did not feature prayer mats — students used tarps intended for seating — and the music, played at a moderate volume, consisted of culturally relevant songs rather than religious content.

Harvard Islamic Society Treasurer Daniel Patel ’27 — a conservative and a Muslim — wrote in the Salient, a conservative campus publication, that the HRC’s characterization bore little resemblance to the actual event.

“What they described as a ‘capture’ consisted of students, faculty, and families gathered around sizzling lamb kebabs and perusing trinkets,” Patel wrote. “The HRC described our guests as ‘unvetted strangers.’ They were families. They were alumni.”

The HRC did not respond to a request for comment.

Harvard College policy prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of religion under its Non-Discrimination and Anti-Bullying Policy. College policy also requires advance permission for photography and filming on campus intended for public dissemination, and filming must comply with existing University rules, including the NDAB.

The post drew widespread criticism from the student body — including on Sidechat, an anonymous messaging platform for College students, where users accused the HRC of targeting Muslim students.

In a Tuesday op-ed in The Crimson, Harvard Islamic Society co-president Moeen M. Razzaque ’26 called the post discriminatory.

“I am appalled by such bigotry from a recognized student organization,” Razzaque wrote, adding that the HRC “made no attempt to engage with HIS leadership or ask clarifying questions before lying about our festival.”

The Harvard Islamic Society declined to comment for this article, referring to Razzaque’s op-ed.

The Salient also rebuked the post in a Friday article co-authored by its interim president, Keri E. Collins ’29, and two other writers, including Patel. The article framed the HRC’s rhetoric as a departure from conservative principles and linked the club’s current direction to structural changes made under its previous president, who the Salient alleged removed elections from the club’s constitution to handpick their successor.

If HRC is found in violation of student organization policy, consequences can range from a warning to the organization’s disbandment.

Palumbo declined to comment on the specifics of the investigation, citing the College’s policy against discussing individual disciplinary cases. He said that Harvard College Dean David J. Deming would not comment while the investigation is ongoing.

—Staff writer Sebastian B. Connolly can be reached at [email protected] or on Signal at sbc.23. Follow him on X @SebastianC4784.

—Staff writer Summer E. Rose can be reached at [email protected] or on Signal at ser.85. Follow her on X @summerellenrose.