Columbia Alumni Burn Diplomas in Protest Against University's Actions

Columbia University Alumni Burn Diplomas in Protest Against Alleged Complicity in Gaza Conflict New York City witnessed a powerful demonstration on May 21, 2025, as Columbia University alumni took to the streets to express their outrage over the university's perceived complicity in the ongoing Gaza conflict. The protest, which unfolded near the university's campus, involved alumni publicly burning their diplomas. The demonstration was a response to the university's alleged collaboration with the Trump administration and its reported suppression of pro-Palestinian student activism. "I am ashamed to be associated with Columbia University because of its cowardly cooperation with the Trump regime," stated David Dubnau, a Columbia alumnus who earned his doctorate in molecular biology in 1960. His words echoed the sentiment of many participants who felt the university had betrayed its commitment to academic freedom and social justice. Josh Dubnau, another alumnus with a doctorate in genetics (1995), added, "I'm here today to protest the way this university is treating its students, the way they're collaborating to hand over students for detention and deportation." Their statements highlight the core concerns driving the protest: the university's alleged role in suppressing dissent and its perceived complicity in human rights violations. The protest involved dozens of alumni and attracted considerable media attention. The event serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing tensions surrounding academic freedom, political activism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the potential consequences for institutions perceived as complicit in injustices.