Columbia University Accused of Civil Rights Violations Over Handling of Anti-Israel Protests
The Trump administration has formally accused Columbia University of violating federal civil rights law due to what it described as “deliberate indifference” to antisemitic harassment and anti-Israel protests that have persisted on campus since October 7, 2023, as per Fox News.
According to investigative findings released Thursday by the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the university failed to address student-on-student harassment targeting Jewish students, allegedly violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The law prohibits discrimination in federally funded programs based on race, color, or national origin — protections that include perceived or actual Jewish or Israeli identity.
The OCR report claims Columbia “continually failed to protect Jewish students” and allowed a hostile environment to develop and persist, particularly in the aftermath of the Hamas-led attack on Israel in late 2023. Since then, the campus has become a flashpoint for large-scale protests, building occupations, and demonstrations marked by antisemitic slogans and demands for the university to divest from Israel.
In its Notice of Violation, OCR stated that Columbia University neglected to follow its own policies when addressing complaints from Jewish students and failed to act against antisemitic vandalism, including the appearance of swastikas and hate imagery in classrooms.
The findings also criticized the university’s delayed response, noting that Columbia only began implementing effective mechanisms to report and remediate antisemitism by the summer of 2024 — over half a year after the protests began.
Moreover, officials said the university did not adequately enforce rules governing the time, place, and manner of protests, especially in sensitive areas like academic buildings, dormitories, and libraries.
“The findings carefully document the hostile environment Jewish students at Columbia University have had to endure for over 19 months, disrupting their education, safety, and well-being,” said Anthony Archeval, Acting Director of the OCR. “We encourage Columbia University to work with us to come to an agreement that reflects meaningful changes that will truly protect Jewish students.”
The announcement came a day after several Columbia graduates burned their diplomas in protest of the Trump administration’s detention of former student Mahmoud Khalil, who has been identified by authorities as a leader of the anti-Israel protests and now faces deportation.
Columbia University has also faced steep financial consequences: the federal government has withheld approximately $400 million in funding due to the alleged mishandling of antisemitism on campus.
