Palestinian students against Columbia University: "We are being discriminated against"

Palestinian students and staff have filed a lawsuit against Columbia University, claiming they have suffered discriminatory treatment since 2023. The lawsuit alleges that the university failed to protect members of the Palestinian community from harassment and targeted them with disciplinary proceedings described as "unfair and biased."

The situation becomes clearer when delving into the reasons why these students felt discriminated against. The case mentioned occurred in May 2025, when the university suspended 65 students involved in anti-Israel protests on campus. In July 2025, Columbia University announced that it had imposed even harsher penalties, including expulsion and the revocation of degrees. The students and their supporters did not retract their statements, declaring:

"We will not back down. We are committed to the struggle for the liberation of Palestine."

Beyond the students, in March 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a researcher at Columbia University, for leading anti-Israel protests on campus. Khalil, who was born in Syria to Palestinian parents, received permanent residency in the United States following his marriage to U.S. citizen Nour Abdallah, and the Donald Trump administration is now seeking his deportation.

Columbia University in New York became the scene of anti-Israel demonstrations that set a precedent for protests on campuses worldwide. A coalition of more than 100 pro-Palestinian groups, known as "Columbia University Apartheid Divest" (CUAD), called on students to join a "walkout" in protest against support for Israel. The calls for participation encouraged students to wear black and hide their identities using masks.