Columbia Suspends Student Groups Over ‘Unauthorized’ Pro-Palestine Event

Columbia University has suspended Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace as official student organizations for the rest of the fall term after the two groups allegedly held campus events that violated the school’s policies. Both groups will no longer be able to organize events on campus or receive university funding. “This decision was made after the two groups repeatedly violated University policies related to holding campus events, culminating in an unauthorized event Thursday afternoon that proceeded despite warnings and included threatening rhetoric and intimidation,” Gerald Rosberg, chair of the Special Committee on Campus Safety, said in a statement on Friday. He wrote that the suspension would only be withdrawn if the groups made a “commitment to compliance with University policies and engaging in consultations at a group leadership level with University officials.” Rosberg said that this would ensure safety “during this especially charged time on our campus” and allow the community to conduct activities “without disruption.” This news comes after hundreds of protesters from SJP, JVP, and other advocacy groups flooded the campus in a walkout on Oct. 25 to call for a cease-fire in Gaza, prompting many prominent donors to cut funds to the school.