Columbia University has agreed to a $395,000 settlement to resolve a lawsuit stemming from an incident at a pro-Palestine campus protest earlier this year, the university confirmed Thursday. A Jewish student, previously suspended for their involvement in the incident which involved the deployment of a non-toxic, novelty "fart spray," will receive the sum as part of the legal settlement.
This controversial case began on January 19, during a demonstration organized by Columbia University Apartheid Divest, which represents approximately 100 student groups. The protest was aimed at voicing opposition to U.S. support for Israel’s maneuvers in Gaza, during which, some participants reported experiencing nausea and eye irritation after coming into contact with the spray. Initial claims characterized the incident as a "chemical attack," involving what was believed to be "skunk spray," a substance used for crowd control. However, as reported by Gothamist, later findings concluded that the substance was actually a commercially available prank spray.
Further confusion ensued as the factual intricacies of the incident unfolded, with a report from the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce alleging that Columbia University allowed misconceptions to go unchecked. This was reported despite the university having knowledge that the substance was a novelty item purchased on Amazon, stated in the committee's Republican-led report, according to Gothamist. The investigation initially treated the event as a potential hate crime, and the two students involved faced 18-month suspensions from the university.
The lawsuit, filed in April by one of the students, asserted that the student's actions were a "harmless expression of his speech" and the discipline imposed was disproportionate considering the product was non-toxic and widely available for purchase. After legal negotiations, Columbia reduced the initial discipline to probation and agreed on the financial settlement, a detail provided by NewsX.
While some, like Maryam Alwan, a spokesperson for the Columbia Palestine Solidarity Coalition of Palestinian students, view the settlement as “nothing short of appalling and sickening,” others see it as insufficient reparation. "A $395,000 payout is a slap in the face,” said a student named Shay, affected by the incident, in a statement obtained by NewsX. Shay’s visit to the ER resulting in a diagnosis of "chemical exposure," suggested that the health implications were serious despite the non-toxic classification of the spray.
Columbia University’s assistant director of media relations, Millie Wert, maintained in a comment to Gothamist that the institution is “committed to applying the rules fairly, consistently and efficiently." Moreover, "Columbia strongly condemns antisemitism and all forms of discrimination, and we are resolute that calls for violence or harm have no place at our University," Wert said.
The complexity of this incident highlights the challenges colleges face in balancing free speech and safety, with student protests continuing to be a hotbed of engagement and, at times, controversy. Columbia University and the NYPD, in light of the settlement, have not made any new statements regarding revisions to campus policy or the implications for future campus protests.
