Key facts
- Current and former Palestinian students and staff are suing Columbia University.
- The lawsuit alleges discrimination, surveillance, and biased disciplinary proceedings against Palestinians.
- Plaintiffs claim Columbia failed to protect Palestinian community members from harassment.
- The suit challenges the university's response to pro-Palestinian protests, including calling police and suspending students.
- Columbia previously settled federal investigations into discrimination allegations with the Trump administration, agreeing to pay $200 million.
A group of current and former Palestinian students and staff have filed a lawsuit against Columbia University in New York, accusing the Ivy League school of discriminating against Palestinians and targeting pro-Palestinian activism. The lawsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court, alleges that Columbia subjected Palestinians to unequal treatment following the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and the ensuing conflict in Gaza. The plaintiffs claim Columbia "actively participated in and amplified" what they describe as racially, ethnically, and politically motivated targeting of Palestinians.
According to the complaint, the university failed to adequately protect Palestinian members of its community from harassment while subjecting pro-Palestinian activists to "unfair and biased disciplinary hearings." Allegations include the hiring of private investigators to surveil students involved in a "Resistance 101" event, leading to suspensions and evictions. The suit also cites incidents of alleged physical attacks and the spraying of a foul-smelling substance at a pro-Palestinian demonstration. Furthermore, the lawsuit challenges Columbia's decision to call New York City police onto campus to dismantle pro-Palestinian protest encampments and arrest demonstrators in 2024.
The case follows years of controversy over Columbia's handling of protests related to Israel's war on Gaza. In July 2025, Columbia reached a deal with the Trump administration to resolve federal investigations into alleged violations of anti-discrimination law and restore federal research funding. Under the agreement, the university paid $200 million to the U.S. government and $21 million to settle Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigations concerning allegations of antisemitism. Columbia did not admit wrongdoing. The university also settled a separate lawsuit brought by Jewish plaintiffs in February 2026 alleging it failed to protect Jewish and Israeli students from antisemitism. Palestinian activists and free-speech groups, however, have repeatedly accused Columbia of disproportionately punishing opposition to Israel, with students facing arrests, suspensions, expulsions, and degree revocations.