SUNY student who stormed into office and tore down pro-Israel banners claims administrator ‘attacked’ him: suit

A student who filmed himself storming into a New York college administrator’s office and tearing down two pro-Israel banners is suing the school – and claiming the official “violently” attacked him.

Purchase College administrator Paul Nicholson allegedly attacked sophomore Cesar Paul who went into his office and tore down a pair of banners that said “We Stand with Israel” on Dec. 12, 2023 because they made classmates feel threatened and marginalized, the student said in the lawsuit.

But after he took down the pieces, Nicholson — an ombudsman who runs two other programs at the Westchester County school in the SUNY system — allegedly went after the young man.

“Paul was violently attacked, grabbed by his shoulders, and pushed to the ground by Nicholson,” the lawsuit said. “Paul did not retaliate with physical force of any kind. He chose not to fight back.

“As Paul tried to get up, he began calling for help, as he was fearful of what Nicholson might do next,” the suit continued. “Nicholson then forcefully grabbed Paul, aggressively pushing him out of his office.”

The two then got into a tug-of-war over the banners, which Paul eventually released as another student stepped in and separated the pair, the lawsuit said.

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Video of the incident apparently recorded by Paul and posted to YouTube captured the encounter, which began with the sophomore walking into Nicholson’s office.

“Oh, you’re here to see me?” Nicholson asked.

“Yea, I am,” Paul responded.

“What can I do for you?” Nicholson said.

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“I’m gonna take these down,” Paul said as he grabbed the banners.

“No, you’re not,” Nicholson responded. “Get the f–k out of here! Don’t touch my s–t! You don’t come in and steal my s–t!”

“What the f–k man!” Paul whined during the chaotic encounter. “Free Palestine, bro!”

“Get out of here!” Nicholson yelled, as the two fought for the banners in a rumble that spilled into the hallway.

Another student calmed Paul down, telling him to “chill” and that Nicholson isn’t racist.

“This is not how you do it,” the other student tells him. “Let it go, sit. Chill, bro.”

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Both the administration and campus police sent around emails about the ordeal that framed it as an antisemitic incident, the suit said.

Paul was later suspended from the school for four months and put on probation through May 2025, it added.

The student claims the suspension and subsequent punishments were “not in due proportion to the nature and seriousness of the offense,” and only levelled against him in retaliation for Paul’s criticism of Israel and support of the Palestinian people.

“Paul did not physically harm, threaten, harass, intimidate, abuse, coerce or detain Nicholson at any moment, nor did he ever intend to do so,” the suit said. “His sole intent was to remove the banners that posed a threat to student safety.”

In the lawsuit, Paul also took issue with the way his disciplinary hearing was handled, among other things.

The sophomore wants the courts to reverse the school’s sanctions and pay for the cost of the lawsuit.

Neither Nicholson nor a Purchase College spokesperson immediately responded to a request for comment.

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