NEW YORK — A group of Columbia University students on Thursday filed a federal civil rights complaint against the school, accusing the university of discrimination against Palestinian students and pro-Palestinian protesters.
The organization Palestine Legal says they are representing four students and the student group Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine in the complaint filed with the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
According to Palestine Legal, the complaint alleges the students and the student group have been victims of anti-Palestinian discrimination and harassment by Columbia University students, professors and administrators.
The complaint cites the university bringing in NYPD officers to arrest over 100 protesters last week as part of the school’s discriminatory treatment.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Secretary of Education says his office is investigating reports of antisemitism at campuses across the country.
Columbia University protests continue as deadline approaches
The deadline is approaching for Columbia University protesters to reach an agreement with the school’s administration before University President Dr. Minouche Shafik threatens to clear their encampment.
Shafik says if her administration cannot reach an agreement with protesters by Friday morning, she will consider alternative options for clearing the encampment.
On one side of Columbia University’s lawn, student protesters remain defiant in a tent encampment, while on the other side, preparations are slowly underway for graduation.
“I don’t even know if there’s even gonna be a graduation. That’s part of the problem,” one student said.
School officials are in negotiations with pro-Palestinian demonstrators, who insist they will stay until the university agrees to their demands of financial divestment from companies that do business with Israel.
“This is the story of thousands of students who don’t want their tuition dollars to aid in the collective punishment and mass murder of Palestinians,” student protester Khymani James said.
The nine consecutive days of campus demonstrations have forced some courses to go remote in the final week of classes. Now, the administration will also allow students to take final exams virtually if they request it.
“I left campus ’cause I didn’t feel safe and it was also the holiday of Passover,” said student Andrew Stein.
Stein and Jonathan Lederer just returned to school after they say they say they were assaulted during a protest on campus over the weekend.
“Someone threw a rock at my head, so I was physically assaulted on campus and NYPD couldn’t come on campus. Public Safety was nowhere to be seen,” Lederer said.
After House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that he believes the National Guard should be called in if the encampment isn’t cleared soon, Mayor Eric Adams strongly disagreed on CBS News New York on Thursday morning.
“We’re controlling this in the New York City Police Department. No one does it better, we do not need the National Guard,” Adams said.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has the power to call in the National Guard, said earlier this week she does not think its necessary to deploy them.
Rep. Ilhan Omar visits Columbia University student protesters
Rep. Ilhan Omar visited the protesters on Columbia University’s campus Thursday.
In a post on X, she wrote, “I had the honor of seeing the Columbia University anti-war encampment firsthand. Contrary to right-wing attacks, these students are joyfully protesting for peace and an end to the genocide taking place in Gaza. I’m in awe of their bravery and courage.”
Omar’s daughter, Isra Hirsi, said she was suspended from Barnard College after attending a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University last week.
Protests on college campuses across New York, New Jersey
A pro-Palestinian encampment went up Thursday at the City College of New York in Harlem. College officials say they’re working to determine whether the protesters are affiliate with the CUNY system.
City College adds it is committed to the principles of free speech, but that any protest must remain peaceful, non-threatening and devoid of hatred.
Students at Princeton University in New Jersey started a pro-Palestinian protest Thursday morning. They set up an encampment, although they are not allowed to set up tents. The school says it’s strictly enforcing its rules while allowing free expression of speech.
