Cornell PhD student suspended over free-Palestine protest
Cornell University has suspended a PhD student following his involvement in a free-Palestine demonstration at a recent campus career fair.
Momodou Taal leads the Coalition for Mutual Liberation and is a student at Cornell’s African studies program.
Last week, he participated in a walk-out with over 100 protesters targeting companies like Boeing, which have been accused of supporting Israel’s war on Gaza.
Cornell claims that Taal’s actions led to confrontations with police and created an intimidating atmosphere for those attending the fair.
Taal was notified of his suspension and a no-trespass order barring him from campus in an email from the Office of Student Conduct.
He has refuted the allegations, and says he only attended the protest briefly.
Observers say the situation has raised concerns about academic freedom and students’ right to engage in political activism.