Columbia suspends more than 65 students for anti-Israel library takeover

NEW YORK — Columbia University in New York City has suspended more than 65 students for their role in an anti-Israel protest at a campus library earlier this week, a Columbia official said on Friday.

The suspended students are on interim suspension pending further investigation.

The official said 33 individuals, including some from affiliated institutions, have been barred from Columbia’s campus. Protesters from the Columbia affiliate Barnard College often collaborate with Columbia activists.

Some alumni have also been barred from the campus.

The protesters invaded the university’s Butler Library on Wednesday, disrupting studies immediately before final exams for the spring semester. Columbia called in police to clear the demonstrators from the building, resulting in 80 arrests.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the Trump administration was investigating the visa statuses of the 75 or more people arrested at Columbia.

The campus coalition of protest groups, Columbia University Apartheid Divest, announced the protest by sending out a video of the rally on Telegram.

The clip showed masked protesters chanting “Free Palestine” to the beat of a drum, led by a demonstrator standing on a table. The group shared photos of vandalism inside the library, including graffiti that said, “We will always come back for Palestine.” In the past, the group has voiced open support for violence and terror groups.

Video shared by Jewish students showed masked protesters shoving past a security guard, filing into a library room and putting on keffiyehs while chanting, “There is only one solution, intifada revolution.”

During the standoff between the protesters and campus security, other activists attempted to force their way into the building, injuring two university safety officers, acting Columbia President Claire Shipman said in a statement. One of the officers was removed on a gurney and another required bandages.

Welcome to finals week at Columbia University. pic.twitter.com/rY6j9NWoRi

— Eden Yadegar (@edenyadegar) May 7, 2025

Shipman said the university called in police because the situation was unsafe and the administration believed many individuals were on site who were not affiliated with the university. Within Our Lifetime, the leading anti-Israel protest group in the city, had sent out a message to its followers urging them to rally at the campus, which is closed to the public, and held a march in the area.

The university’s swift response was a stark contrast to last year, when protesters set up an unauthorized encampment on the university lawn. The administration at the time negotiated with the demonstrators, and only called in police weeks later after the protesters smashed their way into a campus building.

Jewish students and faculty voiced support for the university’s response.

“Strong words and action from Columbia,” Brian Cohen, the head of Columbia’s Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life, said on X. “I appreciate all that President Shipman and the Public Safety team did to restore order at Butler Library.”

I tried entering the main Columbia library a day before finals only to be blocked by other students. One yells “don’t let this guy in, he’s a f**ing Zionist.” pic.twitter.com/QBs57iZef9

— David lederer (@Davidlederer6) May 7, 2025

The renewed protest came amid heavy federal scrutiny of Columbia and other top universities by the Trump administration.

A day after the library protest, anti-Israel activists at Brooklyn College set up a short-lived encampment on a campus lawn, leading to clashes with police.

Brooklyn College said it called in the NYPD to clear the protest because the demonstrators had violated the school’s prohibition on putting up tents and ignored repeated requests to remove them.

Video showed masked protesters clashing with police, who used a taser on at least one demonstrator.

BREAKING: Tazer Deployed, Arrests and violent Clashes outside of Brooklyn CUNY College after NYPD raided 'Liberated Zone' Encampment inside. pic.twitter.com/ahLYHEtOEn

— Oliya Scootercaster ???? (@ScooterCasterNY) May 8, 2025

Brooklyn College is part of the public City University of New York (CUNY) system, which has long grappled with allegations of antisemitism on its campuses.

Within Our Lifetime also called on its followers to rally on the campus, saying Brooklyn College was in a “Zionist neighborhood,” apparently referring to nearby Jewish communities. Within Our Lifetime seeks the destruction of Israel, applauded the October 7 attack, and has caused disruptions on city streets with regular protests since then.

Activists who have protested with the group have been arrested or imprisoned for anti-Jewish hate crimes, including an anti-Israel activist arrested this week for assaulting Jews at the group’s events.

JTA contributed to this report.