Twelve Columbia University students who were initially suspended for participating in an anti-Israel event on campus had their punishments lifted shortly after, due to a lack of information provided about the event. The teach-in on Palestinian resistance that took place on March 24 sparked controversy as the university believed it featured a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a US-designated terrorist organization. The suspensions were believed to be related to this event.
Stanley Cohen, the lawyer representing the students, successfully had 12 of the suspensions thrown out. The incident became a matter of free speech, with Cohen arguing that all forms of speech, even unpopular ones, are essential in academia. He dismissed concerns about making Jewish students uncomfortable, asserting that all speech is protected unless it incites violence. Cohen believed that the students were targeted for their activism and not for anything related to the teach-in.
Cohen’s personal experiences at Columbia University also played a role in his defense of the students. He was previously suspended from the university for anti-war protesting. Critics have accused Columbia of being fascist in its handling of student activism. The situation escalated when a group of students built a Gaza Solidarity Encampment on campus, leading to over 100 arrests by NYPD officers. The incident gained international attention and sparked further criticism of the university.
Columbia University has faced backlash for its perceived lack of discipline against students whose actions or statements are seen as threatening to Jewish members of the community. Cohen dismissed similar cases, such as the 10 Cooper Union students who sued the art school for not protecting them during an anti-Israel protest. He labeled their complaints as being overly sensitive to words and lacking sympathy for those triggered by speech. Cohen’s legal background includes representing members of Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as a family member of Osama bin Laden.
When questioned about his views on Israel’s counterattack on the Gaza Strip following an attack on October 7, Cohen labeled it as genocide. He has been critical of Israel’s actions for the past 50 years. Despite the ongoing controversy and backlash surrounding Columbia University and its handling of student activism and free speech, Cohen has remained vocal and steadfast in his defense of the students and their right to protest and express their viewpoints. The situation has brought up larger discussions about free speech, activism, student rights, and academic freedom on college campuses.
