Columbia University sued by pro-Palestinian groups

A lawsuit has been filed against Columbia University for the suspension of two pro-Palestine student groups.

The case has been filed by the Palestine Legal in collaboration with the New York Liberties Union.

Last November, Columbia University located in New York City had suspended the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) chapters.

Palestine Legal senior staff attorney Radhika Sainath told media that for decades, the students at Columbia had been at the forefront of speaking out against segregation, war and apartheid.

She added that and SJP and JVP sit squarely in this tradition.

She was of the view that universities must abide by their own rules. They should not punish student groups speaking out for Palestinian rights.

The New York Civil Liberties Union has sent a letter to Columbia University’s administration, demanding immediate reinstatement of both the SJP and JVP chapters.

The letter highlighted that the varsity had unlawfully and unfairly suspended both the student groups for their involvement in a peaceful demonstration

At several points, according to the lawsuit, the Columbia University had penalized SJP, breaching its established protocols.

On the other hand, Columbia’s special body on campus safety alleged that the groups had repeatedly violated university policies related to holding campus events.

The prevailing ban on the students groups means that they would neither receive university funds to operate nor be allowed to conduct any activities on campus.