Columbia University has expelled or suspended nearly 80 students for participating in protests against Israel’s war on Gaza. The disciplinary actions include multi-year suspensions and revocation of academic degrees.
The student group Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), which urges the university to cut financial ties with Israel, called the punishments excessive and unprecedented compared to past campus protests. Columbia stated the penalties were due to disruptions, including the occupation of Butler Library in May 2025 and protest encampments during Alumni Weekend in 2024.
Despite police crackdowns and administrative pressure, student activists continue to demand divestment from companies linked to the Israeli military and express solidarity with Palestinians. CUAD remains defiant, vowing to continue its campaign for Palestinian liberation.
