Columbia University Student Protests: Suspensions & Expulsions
Columbia University Escalates Crackdown on Pro-Palestinian Protests, Expelling and Suspending Dozens of Students
Columbia University has intensified its disciplinary actions against student activists involved in pro-Palestinian protests, with nearly 80 students now facing expulsion or lengthy suspensions of up to three years. Teh university cited disruptions to academic activities, including the occupation of Butler Library in May 2025 and the encampment during Alumni Weekend in spring 2024, as grounds for thes severe sanctions.
The columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) group, which advocates for the university to sever all financial ties with Israel, stated that the scale of these punishments “hugely exceed precedent for teach-ins or non-Palestine-related building occupations.” CUAD affirmed their commitment to the Palestinian liberation struggle, declaring, “We will not be deterred.”
The pro-Palestinian encampments at Columbia in 2024 served as a catalyst for a global movement protesting Israel’s ongoing military operations in the Gaza Strip.These demonstrations were eventually dispersed when university management permitted the deployment of hundreds of new York City police officers, resulting in numerous arrests. Despite these crackdowns, students occupied Butler Library during final exams in May of this year, demanding divestment from companies linked to the Israeli military and expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Columbia University’s Judicial Board confirmed the issuance of expulsions, suspensions, and degree revocations following what it described as a disruption during the “reading period.” While the exact number of expelled students was not disclosed, the board indicated these were the “final set of findings from that period.”
The university’s disciplinary actions occur amidst broader political pressures.Columbia is reportedly in negotiations with the Trump administration to reinstate approximately $400 million in federal funding, which was previously withheld due to alleged failures to adequately protect Jewish students from harassment. This context saw Columbia’s acting president, Claire Shipman, facing student backlash and being booed at a May graduation ceremony for her role in managing the protests.
In a parallel development, Harvard University, another Ivy League institution facing similar funding pressures from the government, has opted to challenge the administration’s policies in court.The latest disciplinary measures from Columbia coincide with the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where widespread starvation is a critical concern. Health officials reported that within a single 24-hour period, at least 15 individuals, including an infant, died from hunger and malnutrition.
Simultaneously occurring, Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Columbia University protest leader who had been targeted for deportation by the Trump administration, met with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. This meeting took place over a month after his release from immigration custody in Louisiana, where he was held following a pledge by the U.S. president to deport pro-Palestinian activists.