Columbia student who said 'Zionists don't deserve to live' during Gaza camp protests sues school after being suspended

A Columbia University student who had a leadership role in the infamous Gaza encampment in the spring term filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Ivy League school on Friday, claiming he was unfairly suspended over a video in which he declared, "Zionists don't deserve to live," the New York Post reported.

Khymani James, 21, of Boston, who uses "he/she/they" pronouns, was suspended from campus in April over the remarks. When he was pressed by a Columbia official on his hateful rhetoric, the student doubled down and said he felt "very comfortable, very comfortable, calling for those people to die."

James filed the complaint on September 27 in the Manhattan Supreme Court, arguing that the university violated official policy by denying him due process and fair treatment when suspending him. He alleged that his suspension was due to media pressure and that he was selectively targeted because he is black and pro-Palestine, court documents show.

The anti-Israel student is requesting a court declaration that acknowledges the violation of his rights, as well as damages from the university.


Khymani James takes a selfie while wearing a pink dress and blond wig. Credit: James's Instagram account

James was suspended over a December 2023 Instagram post that caused him to be summoned by the university's Center for Student Success and Intervention. He appeared before the panel in January. The Daily Wire obtained video from the meeting that showed James telling university officials, "Zionists don't deserve to live comfortably, let alone Zionists don't deserve to live."

"The same way we are very comfortable accepting Nazis don't deserve to live, fascists don't deserve to live, racists don't deserve to love, Zionists, they shouldn't live in this world," the student said. "Be grateful that I'm not just going out and murdering Zionists. I've never hurt anyone in my life, and I hope to keep it that way."
 

A Columbia official grilled him over his remarks, but James continued with his hateful rhetoric, telling the panelists he felt "very comfortable, very comfortable, calling for those people to die."


James poses for a photo with Democratic congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. Credit: James's X account

The administration did not move to suspend James until April when the unruly anti-Israel Gaza encampment had been erected on campus. James was suspended when he organized a human chain to block pro-Israeli counter-protesters from accessing the lawn, the university said.

James said that his suspension "inflamed the hatred" of him on the Morningside Heights Campus, according to the complaint, in which he also alleged that administrators "routinely privileges students who support Israel over those who do not, rewarding bad faith behavior and in fact turning a blind eye to violations of the student code by Israel supporters."
 

His suspension from the university is still in effect. James is being represented by Jonathan Wallace, who defended a Columbia University professor after he had been terminated for voicing support for the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel.