Columbia threatens to suspend pro-Palestinian protesters after talks fail

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Columbia University’s president has said that talks with pro-Palestinian protesters over the dismantling of an encampment on the Ivy League campus have failed and urged them to voluntarily disperse or face suspension from school, Reuters reports.

Protesters have vowed to keep their encampment on the Manhattan campus until Columbia meets three demands: divestment, transparency in Columbia finances and amnesty for students and faculty disciplined for their part in the protests.

Protesters shared online a copy of a warning letter sent to them by the university. The letter, which the university sent in addition to the public statement, said students who did not vacate the encampment by 2pm ET (1800 GMT) and sign a form acknowledging their participation would face suspension and become ineligible to complete the semester in good standing.

Even students who signed the form and left the area today will still go on “disciplinary probation” until June 2025 or their graduation, whichever came first, according to the letter, which a Columbia spokesperson confirmed was authentic.

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