Columbia University has expelled several students and suspended others for their involvement in an anti-Israel protest that forcibly occupied the school’s main library earlier this year. The disciplinary action follows months of unrest on campus, where pro-Palestinian activists staged aggressive demonstrations accusing Israel of “genocide” in Gaza.
The April incident saw dozens of students barricade Butler Library, disrupting operations, intimidating staff, and vandalizing university property with anti-Israel slogans. University officials said the protest crossed the line from free expression to unlawful occupation, violating multiple campus conduct policies. Following a formal investigation, Columbia announced permanent expulsions for the protest leaders and multi-semester suspensions for others who participated.
In a statement, the university reaffirmed its commitment to free speech but made clear that “coercion, harassment, and the obstruction of university facilities will not be tolerated.” Faculty and alumni had urged the administration to take decisive action after months of escalating campus disruptions linked to anti-Israel activism.
Jewish and pro-Israel student groups welcomed the decision, saying it sends a strong message that antisemitic intimidation has no place on campus. Critics of the protest movement noted that the Butler Library takeover mirrored tactics used by radical activists at other Ivy League schools, raising broader concerns about the normalization of anti-Israel hostility in higher education.
The expulsions come as President Trump’s administration continues pressing universities to protect Jewish students from harassment and antisemitic rhetoric. Federal officials have warned that schools allowing anti-Israel protests to devolve into targeted intimidation could face civil rights investigations.
