Some of the anti-Israel protesters who besieged a Columbia University academic building last spring have been tossed or suspended — while some who have since graduated lost their diplomas temporarily, officials said Thursday.
The series of punishments were doled out by Columbia’s judicial board, the Ivy League revealed nearly a year after keffiyeh-clad agitators caused chaos over Israel’s battle in Gaza after Hamas terrorists’ deadly attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
The level of discipline was based on school officials’ “evaluation of the severity of behaviors,” it said in a campus-wide alert.
Columbia University also said it had temporarily revoked the diplomas of some students who have since graduated. APIt’s unclear how many students were expelled and how many were hit with “multi-year suspensions.” It’s also unknown how many graduates had their diplomas revoked temporarily.
Columbia said in an email to The Post that it could not disclose how many students were punished due to federal regulations.
“This ruling is an important first step in righting the wrongs of the past year and a half,” said Brian Cohen, Executive Director of Columbia/Barnard Hillel, in an X post Thursday.
Columbia became ground zero for anti-Israel demonstrations last year that, at times, veered into the harassment of Jewish students and incendiary language toward the Jewish state.
The university did not provide a breakdown of how many students were expelled, suspended or had their degree revoked. Getty ImagesProtesters also camped out on the campus green, leading to further disarray and inspiring other tent cities across the country at other colleges.
Gil Zussman, a Columbia faculty member who is on the embattled school’s Task Force on Antisemitism, also praised the punishments.
“Finally demonstrating that breaking university rules has consequences is an important first step towards going back to the core missions of research and teaching,” he said in a post on the social platform X.
Due to federal regulations, Columbia University could not provide the exact number of students suspended. Michael Nagle
The rise in protests has inspired other tent cities nationwide. James KeivomProtesters took over Hamilton Hall and barricaded themselves inside the building with furniture and padlocks on April 30, 2024, which eventually led the NYPD to intervene the following night.
Cops flooded the building through a window and arrested dozens of protesters during the dramatic scene.
Thursday’s announcement comes after the Trump administration yanked $400 million in grants and contracts from the Ivy League school, claiming Columbia didn’t comply with anti-discrimination laws when it failed to protect Jewish students.
The Trump administration recently yanked $400 million in grants to the Ivy League school after it failed to comply with anti-discrimination laws to protect Jewish students. REUTERS
House Republicans also called out Columbia for not expelling students involved in the Hinds Hall’s occupation. REUTERSRepublican House members called out Columbia over the summer for not booting students involved in the Hinds Hall’s occupation.
Manhattan prosecutors opted not to pursue cases against 31 of the 46 people arrested, citing a lack of evidence, but this sparked outrage.
With Post wires
