Palestinian Students and Staff Sue Columbia University Alleging Discrimination

A group of current and former Palestinian students and staff have filed a lawsuit against Columbia University, accusing the institution of discriminatory practices against its Palestinian community. The legal action, filed in New York, alleges that since late 2023, the university has failed to protect its Palestinian members from harassment and has subjected them to "unfair and biased disciplinary hearings."

Columbia University has historically denied allegations of discrimination and has condemned hate speech. The university declined to comment on the pending litigation, and did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. The lawsuit follows a period of heightened tensions and protests at Columbia and other U.S. universities after the start of Israel's assault on Gaza in October 2023.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia, which included calls for divestment from companies supporting Israel, led to significant actions by the university. In May 2025, over 65 students were suspended for their role in shutting down the university's main library. This protest occurred while the university was in negotiations with the Trump administration, which had previously cut federal funding over accusations of tolerating antisemitism during pro-Palestinian protests.

However, some protesters, including Jewish groups, argue that opposing Israel's actions in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories is not antisemitic. They assert that advocacy for Palestinian rights should not be conflated with supporting extremism. Columbia had previously agreed to pay over $200 million to the U.S. government to resolve federal probes and restore most of its federal funding in July of the previous year. Free speech advocates have criticized Columbia's response to the protests, which resulted in arrests, suspensions, expulsions, and degree revocations for students.

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unfair and biased disciplinary hearings