(NewsNation) — One of the attorneys representing an anonymous Columbia University student suing the school told NewsNation’s “On Balance with Leland Vittert” that while his firm “believe(s) in protests” and open debate on Israeli policies, some protesters have crossed a line by directly calling for violence against Jews.
The suit filed Monday alleges that the university has failed to protect Jewish students from antisemitic harassment during ongoing pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
“What’s going on is something different. There are straight-out calls for the genocide of Jews,” attorney Jay Edelson said. “This has happened because of complacency and appeasement by our academic institutions.”
The encampment at Columbia kicked off a wave of protests at college campuses across the country. While many have been peaceful, some protests, including those at Columbia, have led to arrests as universities try to handle the disruption.
Edelson said the class-action lawsuit seeks a court order forcing Columbia to enforce its own policies prohibiting discrimination and creating a hostile environment. He accused the school of empty threats after it said it suspended some protesters but then allowed them to remain on campus, arguing the university is prioritizing liberal political sensibilities over student safety.
Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has condemned the protests and said they cross a line from free expression to antisemitism. But Edelson believes Shafik’s words have become meaningless without stronger disciplinary action.
“We’re done listening to Columbia’s promises. They can now put up or shut up,” Edelson said.