Columbia University protesters who stormed Hamilton Hall during the nationwide pro-Palestinian protests last spring have been expelled, suspended, or had their degrees revoked.
The Columbia University Judicial Board announced the consequences on Thursday. It’s unclear how many students were punished.
“The outcomes issued by the UJB are based on its evaluation of the severity of behaviors at these events and prior disciplinary actions,” Columbia said in a statement sent to the school community. “These outcomes are the result of following the thorough and rigorous processes laid out in the Rules of University Conduct in our statutes, which include investigations, hearings and deliberations.”
“We will continue to work to support our community, including protecting the privacy of our students, during this challenging time and we remain steadfastly committed to our values and our mission,” the school added.
Columbia was at the epicenter of nationwide pro-Palestinian protests that rattled college campuses and forced schools to decide how far they were willing to allow their students to go in protest. Some cracked down hard, clearing out student encampments, while others, such as Columbia, were criticized for not being harsh enough.
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The school’s handling of the protests ultimately led to former President Minouche Shafik’s resignation in August after intense pressure from lawmakers who questioned her about her handling of the unruly protests.
One of the more intense episodes involving the Columbia community was the occupation of Hamilton Hall, an academic building that saw students break in and barricade themselves inside. Police from the New York Police Department broke up the occupation after a letter from Shafik authorizing a police presence said that outside individuals were involved in the occupation.
“We believe that while the group who broke into the building includes students, it is led by individuals who are not affiliated with the University,” the letter read. “The individuals who have occupied Hamilton Hall have vandalized University property and are trespassing.”
Dozens of protesters in the building were arrested, though the Manhattan district attorney’s office later decided not to pursue charges except against those who had assaulted police.
Prosecutors admitted that obscured cameras in the building hindered their efforts. Charges against 31 people were dropped.
The Columbia University protests have come back into the public eye for a different reason than the students’ punishment for occupying Hamilton Hall though.
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Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who took a significant role in the Columbia protests, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on campus, though he has a green card. The enforcement officers were acting on orders from the State Department to arrest Khalil and revoke his green card. President Donald Trump has been staunchly opposed to the pro-Palestinian protests and called for stricter action against demonstrators.
Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said he was arrested “in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism.” Khalil’s arrest has been widely controversial and protested. He’s currently wrapped in a legal battle involving his future in the United States.