Palestinian students sue Columbia University

A group of current and former Palestinian students and staff have filed a lawsuit against Columbia University in a New York State court, alleging discriminatory treatment against its Palestinian community since late 2023. The lawsuit claims the university failed to protect Palestinian members from harassment, targeted them through 'unfair and biased' disciplinary hearings, and 'actively encouraged' harassment. Plaintiffs allege physical assaults, ethnic slurs, doxxing, and a hostile campus environment, and they seek unspecified damages under United States — New York City human rights law. The lawsuit is part of ongoing fallout from pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia following the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. Columbia has previously denied discrimination and declined to comment on pending litigation. The university has faced multiple lawsuits from both pro- and anti-Israel students, and previously agreed to pay over $200 million to the U.S. government to resolve federal probes and restore most federal funding.