They staged protests for Palestine. The consequences have been life-changing

Legal aid group says most students contacting them are Palestinian, Arab Muslim and other students of color

EK was completing a take-home exam on 6 March when the dean of student conduct at Swarthmore College emailed her about an urgent Zoom meeting. On the video call, she said, the dean told her that she would be suspended for one semester for staging a protest at the college's trustees' dinner in December 2023. Using a bullhorn, EK had interrupted the event to demand that the school divest from products that fuel Israel's war on Gaza.

A panel of students and school employees had found her responsible for assault, among other code of conduct violations for the incident. EK, a final-semester senior who is using a pseudonym out of fear of retaliation, recalled being in shock: I've been really distraught by all of this," EK said. I used to be unhoused before I came to Swarthmore, so to be put into this situation again is very disturbing."