Universities Suspend 86 Students After Pro-Palestine Protests in Seattle, New York

The University of Washington has suspended 21 students involved in a pro-Palestinian protest that occupied the engineering building and caused over $1 million in damage, including setting dumpsters on fire. The students, demanding the university sever ties with Boeing—a major military contractor and donor to UW—were also banned from campus, alongside 13 non-student protesters. This disciplinary action marks a shift from the university's earlier response to anti-Israel protests, which previously involved delayed police intervention despite antisemitic graffiti. The Trump administration's Task Force to Combat Antisemitism has initiated a federal review of UW’s funding and compliance with civil rights laws in response to the protest. Meanwhile, Columbia University suspended over 65 students after a separate pro-Palestinian protest occupied its main library, injuring two campus officers and disrupting study spaces before finals. Protesters and supporters at UW continue to rally, urging the university to drop charges and lift suspensions, highlighting broader concerns about violence and humanitarian issues related to the Israel-Gaza conflict.