A Columbia University student who was suspended after declaring in a video that “Zionists don’t deserve to live” has filed a lawsuit against the institution, alleging unfair treatment and a violation of his rights.
As per a New York Post report, 21-year-old Khymani James of Boston, claims in a September 27 filing in Manhattan Supreme Court that the university denied him due process when it suspended him last April.
According to the lawsuit, James argues that the decision to suspend him was largely due to media pressure and also says he was unfairly targeted only because he is Black and pro-Palestine.
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James’ lawsuit also alleges that the suspension has worsened hostility toward him on campus, and accuses Columbia officials of privileging students who support Israel.
“The university routinely privileges students who support Israel over those who do not, rewarding bad faith behavior and turning a blind eye to violations of the student code by Israel supporters,” the lawsuit said.
James was a prominent participant in an anti-Israel protest encampment on Columbia’s campus in early April, and the protest, which continued for many months, was one of several similar demonstrations that later spread to several other universities across the country.
The controversy surrounding James intensified when The Daily Wire resurfaced a video from back in January, in which James, while being questioned by the university’s Center for Student Success and Intervention, expressed extreme views about Zionists.
“Zionists don’t deserve to live comfortably, let alone deserve to live,” James said in the video. He compared Zionists to Nazis, fascists, and racists, stating that such people “shouldn’t live in this world.”
James also went on to say, “Be grateful that I’m not just going out and murdering Zionists,” though he clarified that he had never hurt anyone and hoped to keep it that way.
According to the lawsuit, James had already been summoned by the university in December 2023 while he was studying abroad in London.
At that time, he had allegedly been receiving threats in response to his Instagram posts sharing what he called his “anti-war and anti-genocide political beliefs.”
Columbia University officially suspended James after the video went viral and grabbed lots of attention, citing an incident in which he organized a human chain to block counter-protesters from entering the lawn where the anti-Israel encampment was held.
James, who had not posted on social media since April, returned to X to announce his intentions in a new legal action.
“This morning, my lawyer and I filed a lawsuit against Columbia University. The discrimination they’ve subjected me (and many others) to, in addition to cowering to billionaire donors and fascist politicians, has been disgusting,” he wrote.
When a user asked him, “Any updates on whether you think Zionists deserve to die?” James also hit back and said, “Any updates on what it’s like to be a loser?”
James is seeking damages and a court declaration that his rights were violated. He is represented by Jonathan Wallace, who previously defended Mohamed Abdou, a professor fired by Columbia after supporting the October 7 Hamas attack.
The suspended Columbia student will be hoping the institution pays gravely for its actions on him, and many continue to eye the situation to see exactly how it unfolds in the days to come.
