Columbia students still occupying buildings could now be expelled

Columbia University students that are engaging in unlawful behavior on Tuesday by storming campus buildings and damaging them could now be expelled, the university warned.

Columbia University, which has served as the centerpiece for nationwide anti-Israel college protests, began suspending students on Monday that did not vacate the school by 2 p.m. but more than 1,200 students have been arrested at colleges and universities nationwide, according to NBC News.

The threat of expulsion comes as dozens of students remain in Hamilton Hall, which houses humanities classrooms, undergraduate admissions offices, and the dean of Columbia College's office. 

“Protesters have chosen to escalate to an untenable situation — vandalizing property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances — and we are following through with the consequences we outlined yesterday,” Columbia spokesperson Ben Chang said in a statement, per Politico. “Students occupying the building face expulsion."

The most recent escalation comes as the school begins "reading week" which is a silent week on campus meant to help students study for final exams. The school has shut down its libraries in response to the protests, and Jewish students were previously encouraged to finish their semesters virtually. Dining halls are still open to students who live on campus.

The school said that the action it is taking to crack down on the protests is a response to the actions of the protesters rather than a response to their message.

“This is about responding to the actions of the protesters, not their cause,” Chang said. “As we said yesterday, disruptions on campus have created a threatening environment for many of our Jewish students and faculty and a noisy distraction that interferes with teaching, learning, and preparing for final exams.”

The students have demanded that Columbia cut financial ties with Israel, and divest from companies that have helped Israel in the war with Hamas.