Palestinian Students Sue Columbia Over Harassment, Bias

By Staff, Agencies

A group of current and former Palestinian students and staff has sued Columbia University, denouncing it for discrimination and unequal treatment toward its Palestinian community since late 2023, according to a New York court filing.

According to the lawsuit, Columbia failed to protect Palestinian students and staff from harassment while subjecting them to “unfair and biased disciplinary hearings.”

Meanwhile, Columbia has previously denied reports of discrimination and condemned hate. Local media reported that the university declined to comment on pending litigation.

The lawsuit comes amid widespread protests at Columbia and universities across the United States following the beginning of the “Israeli” genocide in Gaza in October 2023.

During the protests, demonstrators called for an end to US support for “Israel” and urged universities to divest from companies supporting it.

In May 2025, Columbia suspended more than 65 students over their participation in a pro-Palestinian demonstration that shut down the university’s main library.

The protest took place as Columbia was negotiating with US President Donald Trump’s administration, which had cut federal funding to the university after slamming it for tolerating "anti-semitism" during pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

At the same time, protesters, including some Jewish groups, have argued that opposition to "Israeli" genocide in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories does not constitute anti-semitism, and that advocacy for Palestinian rights should not be conflated with support for extremism.

Separately, in July last year, Columbia agreed to pay more than $200 million to the US government to resolve federal investigations and restore most of its federal funding.

The crackdown also drew condemnation from free-speech groups, as students faced arrests, suspensions, expulsions and the revocation of degrees.