Columbia University student files class action lawsuit against school to protect Jews on campus

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A Jewish student astatine Columbia University successful New York City revenge a people action suit against nan learning institution connected Monday, alleging nan assemblage grounded to supply a safe situation for its students.

Along pinch filing nan lawsuit, nan student is besides seeking an emergency injunction, requiring nan assemblage to enforce its Statement of Ethical Conduct and Administrative Code of Conduct to supply safe and unafraid entree to education, free from harassment and discrimination, to let nan student and her peers to safely complete nan semester successful person.

The suit – revenge by a second-year female Jewish student astatine Columbia University, who is identified arsenic C.S. – opens by acknowledging nan value of free and spirited statement connected assemblage campuses, adding that it is simply a unsocial American worth and gives students nan opportunity to study really to analyse various viewpoints while processing positions and advocating for them.

When events move convulsive and hostile, though, "genuine statement becomes impossible," nan suit notes.

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NYPD officers patrol arsenic pro-Palestine protestors show extracurricular of Columbia University’s campus

NYPD officers patrol arsenic pro-Palestine protestors show extracurricular of Columbia University’s field successful New York City connected Thursday, April 18, 2024. Multiple students were arrested arsenic officers cleared an encampment connected nan campus’ lawn. (Peter Gerber for Fox News Digital)

After nan onslaught connected Israel by Hamas-led terrorists connected Oct. 7, debates turned dispute owed to a humanitarian situation successful Gaza, Israel’s subject consequence to nan attack, and nan U.S.’s financial and subject support for Israel.

"These debates often make group profoundly uncomfortable, and opinions are profoundly divided," nan suit reads. "However, this benignant of sermon is simply a cornerstone of American society, wherever differing viewpoints tin beryllium discussed openly, moreover erstwhile protesters usage inflammatory connection for illustration ‘F- - k Israel’ aliases make derogatory remarks."

While galore group astatine Columbia University are exercising their law correct to free reside astir Israel, nan suit points retired that location is simply a subset of protesters who person gone "beyond simply engaging successful free speech."

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Columbia University protestors

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 02: Protesters show adjacent Columbia University connected February 02, 2024, successful New York City. The demonstrations were held successful solidarity pinch Pro-Palestinian protesters that were allegedly attacked during a protestation 2 weeks agone connected nan assemblage campus. Pro-Palestinian University organizations alleged that 2 group attacked aggregate protestors pinch 'skunk' stink-bomb during a January 19th protestation connected campus. Multiple arrests occurred pursuing clashes betwixt nan NYPD and protestors arsenic they marched astir nan exterior of nan Columbia, and Barnard-Columbia, earlier being pushed down Broadway. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images) (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

"This utmost constituent is not conscionable expressing dissent; they person and are continuing to perpetrate acts of violence, they are intimidating and harassing Jewish students and module members, they are inciting demonstrators to prosecute successful dislike reside and besides perpetrate acts of violence, which has been taking place, and they person moreover called for violent attacks against nan United States and nan State of Israel," nan suit reads. "All of these acts person been calculated to disrupt nan normal functioning of Columbia and to overshadow nan voices of those engaging successful constitutionally protected reside and protest."

The suit past turns to April 18, erstwhile a group of utmost demonstrators astatine Columbia created nan "Liberated Zone," an area wherever complete 60 tents were erected.

Protesters on nan perimeter of nan area allegedly blocked Jewish students from stepping through, arsenic anti-Israel activists utilized force, harassment and threats of violence.

PARENTS WARN OF ‘NIGHTMARE’ CLIMATE ON COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS: JEWISH STUDENTS ‘ARE BEING THREATENED’

Nemat Shafik looks consecutive up arsenic she walks connected campus

Columbia University president, Nemat Shafik, leaves nan Low Memorial Library connected nan field of Columbia University, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The embattled president, who's nether unit to resign her station reportedly met pinch Speaker of nan United States House of Representatives Mike Johnson earlier his reside astatine nan assemblage earlier. (Fox News Digital)

University officials called for nan encampment to beryllium removed, but nan protesters refused – instead, it grew.

"Since its formation, nan encampment has been nan halfway of round-the-clock harassment of Jewish students, who person been punched, shoved, spat upon, blocked from attending classes and moving freely astir campus, and targeted by pro-terrorist dislike speech," nan student claimed successful nan lawsuit.

The people action suit alleges nan students underwent some verbal and written forms of dislike speech, pinch monolithic banners and signs displaying statements for illustration "Death to nan Jews," "Long unrecorded Hamas," "Globalize nan Intifada," "There is only 1 solution, Intifada revolution," "Hamas we emotion you, We support your rockets too," and "Red, black, green, white, we support Hamas’ fight."

While Jewish students proceed to get attacked, nan suit alleges, Columbia has done thing to curb their behavior.

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Even erstwhile Columbia University President Minouche Shafik seemed to return a "firm stance" by telling nan protesters to vacate nan encampment aliases beryllium removed by police, she later announced she was "negotiating" pinch nan protesters, nan suit claims.

The assemblage switched to a hybrid learning exemplary for nan remainder of nan semester, which gives students who do not consciousness safe attending classes connected campus, nan expertise to watch nan people remotely.

"This absurd displacement makes nary effort to lick nan information problem connected campus, and astatine nan aforesaid time, creates 2 very different acquisition experiences for Jewish and non-Jewish students," nan suit reads. "The immense mostly of nan student population, including these utmost demonstrators, get to be people successful person, return tests successful person, pass pinch professors successful person, and different return advantage of nan campus.

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Students march connected Columbia University field successful support of a protestation encampment supporting Palestinians

Students march connected Columbia University field successful support of a protestation encampment supporting Palestinians, contempt a 2 p.m. deadline issued by assemblage officials to disband aliases look suspension, during nan ongoing conflict betwixt Israel and nan Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, successful New York City, U.S., April 29, 2024. (REUTERS/David Dee Delgado)

"The Jewish students, connected nan different hand, get a second-class acquisition wherever they are relegated to their homes to be classes virtually, stripped of nan opportunity to interact meaningfully pinch different students and module and beryllium for examinations pinch their peers," nan suit continued.

That, nan plaintiff claimed, is segregation of Jewish students, calling it a "dangerous improvement that tin quickly escalate into much terrible acts of unit and discrimination."

The student claims nan encampment negatively impacted her acquisition erstwhile she could not move successful portion of her last exam task owed to nan assemblage not being capable to supply safe transition to nan building wherever she needed to manus it in.

Columbia University declined to remark connected nan lawsuit.

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As such, she revenge nan suit successful bid to clasp nan assemblage accountable for failing to supply a safe acquisition situation for its students.

The suit is seeking injunctive and equitable relief; compensatory and punitive damages successful an magnitude to beryllium wished during trial; and attorneys’ fees, costs and different litigation expenses, among different things.

Greg Wehner is simply a breaking news newsman for Fox News Digital.

Story tips and tin beryllium sent to [email protected] and connected Twitter @GregWehner.

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