“Columbia University Disciplines Students for Violation of Hamilton Hall Pledge” (re-written title)

NYT: Students at Columbia University faced disciplinary actions for gathering in Hamilton Hall during the university’s COVID-19 response. Some students regard the disciplinary actions as a significant misstep and defiance of free speech principles. The protesters were found guilty and sentenced to community service, fines, and restraining orders prohibiting them from returning to Hamilton Hall for a time. The hall is a hub for campus activism, and its prohibition only amplifies its symbolic significance. Meanwhile, protesters argue that their protest against an at-capacity library was a strategic choice designed to leverage the hall’s reputation as a historic site for dissent.

The original article