Columbia students sue Democratic lawmakers for 'inciting' anti-Israel protests

Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Five Columbia students have filed a lawsuit against a dozen groups, as well as Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , Jamaal Bowman and Ilhan Omar , whom they claim encouraged anti-Israel protests at the Ivy League university earlier this year.

In their lawsuit, the five anonymous students from the New York City campus said: "The Gaza Encampment was extreme and outrageous conduct. It was illegal. It violated university rules. Its occupants harassed, followed, physically blocked, intimidated and bullied Jewish students."

"In a civilized community, one does not call for the obliteration of a major metropolitan area, praise terrorists or threaten death and destruction upon our classmates and their families, friends or co-religionists," the students said, according to court documents reported by the New York Post.

The students, who said they chose to remain anonymous because they do not feel safe, claimed the two weeks of protests and encampments impacted their studies and life on campus as final exams and commencement were ultimately canceled.

"Those were real damages sustained by the 36,000 students at Columbia who chose to obey university rules, go to class and pursue their education, only to be frustrated at the finish line by the ... acts of their classmates and professors, with the assistance and encouragement of outside activists," the students said.

The lawsuit accuses the three lawmakers, referred to as the congressional "Squad," of showing up on the closed campus during the protests "and participating in the encampment." Ocasio-Cortez D-N.Y., Bowman, D-N.Y. and Omar, D-Minn., have not responded to the lawsuit.

In April, Omar visited the Columbia encampment and demanded the university divest from companies that she said were helping Israel in its war with Hamas terrorists.

While the lawsuit calls the protests "intimidating," Omar called them "joyful."

"I had the honor of seeing the Columbia University anti-war encampment firsthand," Omar wrote in April in a post on X.

"Contrary to right-wing attacks, these students were joyfully protesting for peace and an end to the genocide taking place in Gaza. I'm in awe of their bravery and courage."

I had the honor of seeing the Columbia University anti-war encampment firsthand.

Contrary to right-wing attacks, these students are joyfully protesting for peace and an end to the genocide taking place in Gaza.

I'm in awe of their bravery and courage. pic.twitter.com/yC6hcBMwCP — Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 25, 2024

Ocasio-Cortez warned New York City Mayor Eric Adams days later against using police to clear Hamilton Hall after protesters barricaded themselves inside the building.

"If any kid is hurt tonight, responsibility will fall on the mayor and university presidents. Other leaders and schools have found a safe, de-escalatory path. This is opposite of leadership and endangers public safety," she posted on X . "A nightmare in the making."

After New York City Police moved into Hamilton Hall on April 30, and arrested dozens of protesters at the request of the university, Bowman claimed demonstrators had been hurt.

"Now I see that brutality being inflicted on peaceful students at Columbia and across the country. We must stand with our students to demand liberation for Palestinians and everyone in this world," the congressman said in a speech the following day.

The students' lawsuit claims the three lawmakers acted as "cheerleaders" for the Columbia encampment and "not only consciously disregarded the rights of others, but the impact on the rights of others was the point of the protest: the more disruptions they could cause for the university and the students, the more leverage they thought they would have for their agenda."

While Columbia University is not named in the lawsuit, other university groups are, including Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, the Graduate Students Union and the Columbia/Barnard Chapter of the American Association of University Professors.

The lawsuit also names the United Auto Workers, the People's Forum, Within Our Lifetime and the National Students for Justice in Palestine.