Columbia University sued for suspending student groups over pro-Palestinian protests

Civil rights groups filed a lawsuit against Columbia University on Tuesday for suspending two pro-Palestinian student groups from the university last fall after the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas.

Columbia suspended the groups Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) in November after they held protests that the university said were unauthorized, citing campus security concerns.

In their lawsuit, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) and Palestine Legal accuse the university of targeting the two student groups because of the protests and punishing them disproportionately with suspensions because the lawsuit merely alleges procedural violations.

“Universities should be havens for deep debate, discussion and learning – not censorship sites where administrators, donors and politicians suppress political discourse they do not approve of,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the NYCLU, in a statement. “These student groups peacefully voiced their opinions on a critical global conflict, only to find that Columbia University ignored its own long-standing rules and abruptly suspended the organizations.”

“This is retaliatory, it is targeted, and it goes against the principles of free speech that colleges should defend,” she continued. “Students protesting at private colleges still have the right to fair, equal treatment – and we are prepared to fight that battle in court.”

Private universities are not bound by the First Amendment, although New York state law requires colleges to follow their own policies in disciplinary proceedings. The lawsuit alleges that Columbia violated its own policies when targeting the student groups.

SJP and JVP are at the center of a nationwide debate over campus protests related to the war between Israel and Hamas, as colleges and universities struggle to balance free speech concerns with accusations of anti-Semitism and pressure from Congress on the issue.

Just weeks before Columbia suspended the groups, Florida education leaders ordered that SJP be banned from public universities, sparking a lawsuit and outrage from activists.

The lawsuit follows a threat from the NYCLU last month demanding that Columbia reinstate the groups to avoid legal action.

Columbia University declined to comment on the lawsuit, noting that it does not comment on ongoing litigation. A university spokesperson said student organizations have met with staff to discuss lifting the suspensions.

“Representatives of the group have met with human resources consultants to discuss steps toward reinstatement. Most importantly, the groups must agree to fully comply with university policies and procedures,” the spokesperson said. “If the groups agree to follow these prescribed steps and fully comply with university rules, they may be reinstated. At this time, they have not committed to doing so and remain suspended.”

Story updated at 22:07

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