It appears that the protesters on campus, as well as the universities they targeted, believed they were exempt from legal consequences for their actions. They are likely to realize their mistake soon.
The union representing Columbia’s custodians intends to take legal action against the university for its lack of concern and negligence towards the safety of its members, who were confined and held captive during the student occupation of Hamilton Hall.
John Samuelsen, the head of the Transport Workers Union, informed Fox News that during the incident, two custodians had to fight their way out after being told they couldn’t leave as the cause was more important than them.
Samuelsen criticized the mob as disrespectful and entitled individuals who prevented the blue-collar workers from reuniting with their families. He accused Columbia of failing to protect its workforce adequately.
The union is considering legal action against the protesters and is gathering evidence, including security camera footage and the names of arrested students.
This could mark the start of a series of lawsuits, as predicted by George Washington University law professor John Banzhaf, known for his involvement in class action lawsuits against tobacco companies.
In cases where District Attorneys decline to prosecute, victims have the option to file lawsuits for false imprisonment.
The victims encompass not only students and faculty on campus but also individuals who were stranded in their vehicles due to road-blocking protests, leading to missed flights, work, or medical appointments. A single affected individual can initiate a class-action lawsuit on behalf of others impacted.
According to Columbia law professor Joshua Mitts, Columbia University is accused of violating the civil rights of Jewish students by allowing a hostile educational environment to persist on campus.
If found responsible, Columbia could face the loss of federal funding, despite being a “private” institution heavily reliant on federal funds for research, student loans, and financial aid.
These lawsuits can take the form of class-action suits for various civil damages, including assault, battery, false imprisonment, tortious interference with contractual advantage, civil conspiracy, and prime facie tort, as highlighted by Banzhaf.
Banzhaf points out that protesters may not fear arrest due to lenient district attorneys like Manhattan’s Alvin Bragg, who typically adopt a catch-and-release approach. However, lawsuits can extend for years, negatively impacting credit scores, job opportunities, and incurring substantial legal expenses.
The federal civil-rights laws prohibit the type of “severe and pervasive harassment” experienced by Jewish students, including being told to “go back to Europe. Universities are mandated to prevent such behavior, which Columbia evidently failed to address.
Similar instances of severe harassment, threats of violence, and actual attacks were reported on campuses like Harvard, Yale, Penn, UCLA, Berkeley, and NYU, affecting not only Jewish students and faculty but others as well.
Although the situation at Columbia was particularly severe, incidents occurred at various other institutions, highlighting a broader issue within higher education.
Universities and protesters at these institutions, many of whom crossed the line from peaceful protest, are expected to face civil-rights lawsuits. This could lead to a surge in demand for civil-rights lawyers.
While some may view this as excessive and argue that passionate protesters should not be held accountable for their enthusiasm, advocating for violence against Jews or their deportation goes beyond idealism.
