NEW YORK — Columbia University in New York City denied the re-application of an anti-Zionist protest leader who caused an uproar by saying that “Zionists don’t deserve to live,” without formally expelling him, according to documents filed in a New York court this week.

Khymani James caused a major scandal at the university in April 2024, as anti-Israel protests rocked the Ivy League campus, when video surfaced of him calling for violence against “Zionists.”

“I feel very comfortable — very comfortable — calling for those people to die,” he said. “Be glad, be grateful that I’m not just going out and murdering Zionists.”

The comments sparked condemnation from members of Congress and the Biden White House, and drew scrutiny over how the university would respond.

James was a leader in the anti-Zionist activist coalition on campus, Columbia University Apartheid Divest. The group is no longer recognized by the university.

Columbia barred James from campus after the comments came to light. He sued the university, alleging discrimination and breach of contract, in September 2024.

For those unfamiliar with Khymani James: pic.twitter.com/w5ZsSzYAnK

— Columbia Jewish & Israeli Students ✡️???????? (@CUJewsIsraelis) January 27, 2026

Documents filed in court this week shed light on how the university handled the case behind the scenes.

In August 2024, Columbia administrators wrote a letter to James, saying he had violated university rules against discrimination and disruptive behavior.

The letter cited incidents in April 2024 in which James posted images on social media of Jewish students and wrote, “Zionists just attempted to harass us and bring their terrorist flag over — we told [them] to get the hell out!”

A day later, at Columbia’s protest encampment, when three Jewish students attempted to enter the area, James formed a “human chain” to push them out. “We have Zionists who have entered the camp,” he announced to the other........

© The Times of Israel