Columbia University cracked down on dozens of students who participated in the anti-Israel encampment and a recent takeover of a campus library, where protesters injured at least two public safety officers and vandalized the building.
Sources familiar with the matter told The Christian Post that over 70 students of the New York City-based institution are facing consequences, with about 80% of them receiving suspensions, expulsions or degree revocations. Most of those suspended received two-year suspensions.
The disciplinary measures are related to the Butler Library disruption on May 7 and an anti-Israel encampment organized in protest of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza following the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
Columbia University confirmed in a Tuesday statement that the University Judicial Board had issued sanctions following an investigation by professors and administrators on the panel. Those who received the steepest punishments were “given multiple opportunities to leave Butler Library during the disruption and refused,” the source added.
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The university could not release the disciplinary results of individual students, but it disclosed that sanctions from Butler Library include probation, suspension, degree revocation and expulsion. Suspensions from the university range from one year to three years, according to the statement.
“Our institution must focus on delivering on its academic mission for our community. And to create a thriving academic community, there must be respect for each other and the institution’s fundamental work, policies, and rules,” Columbia University said in its Tuesday statement.
“Disruptions to academic activities are in violation of University policies and Rules, and such violations will necessarily generate consequences,” the university continued. “The speed with which our updated UJB system has offered an equitable resolution to the community and students involved is a testament to the hard work of this institution to improve its processes.”
The disciplinary crackdown comes several months after President Donald Trump’s administration cut hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants to the university.
Following these cuts, the university announced that it had taken steps to better address Jewish hatred, such as including the definition of antisemitism into its anti-discrimination policies.
The anti-Israel encampments at Columbia University garnered media attention last year as reports surfaced of protesters harassing Jewish students. Last April, Rabbi Elie Buechler, director of the campus’ Orthodox Union-Jewish Learning Initiative, even advised Jewish students to return home until the campus environment improved.
In April 2024, demonstrators broke into and took over Hamilton Hall. They broke windows and barricaded themselves in to prevent authorities from entering.
On May 7, dozens of anti-Israel protesters stormed the Butler Library, resulting in the detainment of at least 80 people. Acting Columbia President Claire Shipman said in a statement at the time that the university had no choice but to request help from the New York Police Department to quell the situation.
“Sadly, during the course of this disruption, two of our Columbia Public Safety Officers sustained injuries during a crowd surge when individuals attempted to force their way into the building and into Room 301,” Shipman stated. “These actions are outrageous.”
According to footage of the protest shared on social media, multiple keffiyeh-clad demonstrators yelled chants and pounded on drums in the campus library. Another video shared online shows an anti-Israel protester wearing a keffiyeh spray-painting “Learn From Palestine” on the library shelves.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
