Last night, protesters at Columbia University occupied Hamilton Hall, the hub of the school’s largest undergraduate college. As the protesters chanted, some could be heard shouting slogans associated with the elimination of Israel.
Amid ongoing protests, a Jewish student has filed a lawsuit against Columbia University, alleging the institution has failed to provide a safe learning environment. Despite different tactics, the school remains unwilling to quell the uprising. (RELATED: Presidential Candidate Jill Stein Booked On Assault Charges Following Anti-Israel Protest)
Per CNN:
The lawsuit, which is seeking class action status, argues Columbia has “become a place that is too dangerous for Columbia’s Jewish students to receive the education they were promised.”
The complaint, filed against Columbia’s board of trustees in the Southern District of New York, includes numerous redacted sections to protect the identity of the plaintiff, who is described as a “Jewish student in her second year” and whose education has been disrupted by the hostile environment on campus.
The lawsuit takes particular issue with the decision by Columbia to go to a hybrid learning model last week amid the unrest on campus.
“Jewish students…get a second-class education where they are relegated to their homes to attend classes virtually and stripped of the opportunity to interact meaningfully with other students and faculty and sit for examinations with their peers,” the lawsuit said. “The segregation of Jewish students is a dangerous development that can quickly escalate into more severe acts of violence and discrimination.”
The unidentified plaintiff seeks to “hold Columbia accountable for failing to provide a safe educational environment for its students.”
They are also requesting an emergency injunction to enforce Columbia’s Statement of Ethical Conduct and Administrative Code of Conduct to ensure safe access to facilities and education. (RELATED: Pelosi’s Trip To England Takes A Turn)
A journalist for NBC News reported on Monday night that protesters smashed windows to gain entrance to Hamilton Hall. Shortly after, a Palestinian flag was seen flying.
Someone shouted, “Let’s finish what they did in 1968,” referencing the Vietnam War protest when the same building was occupied.
Columbia University’s Morningside Heights campus is now closed to nonresidential students, and there is only one way to go in or out.
The administration is warning students to stay away from campus today. The Ivy League university began suspending students who refused to leave their encampment by the 2 p.m. deadline.
The university issued a final warning shortly after President Minouche Shafik’s announcement that the university would not divest from Israel: “Leave the encampment. If you voluntarily leave by 2 p.m., identify yourself to a University official, and sign the provided form where you commit to abide by all University policies, you will be eligible to complete the semester in good standing,” it read.
Similar protests and corresponding reactions continue throughout the nation.
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Patrick Houck is an avid political enthusiast based out of the Washington, D.C., metro area. His expertise is in campaigns and the use of targeted messaging to persuade voters. When not combing through the latest news, you can find him enjoying the company of family and friends or pursuing his love of photography.
