Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is calling on the Justice Department to prosecute pro-Palestine student groups that have engaged in acts of violence in the wake of escalating anti-Israel protests on college campuses nationwide.
In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday, Scott said that pro-Palestine student groups "are conspiring to violate the civil rights of a religious minority."
The Florida Republican also asked Garland what steps his department has taken to hold the leaders of pro-Palestine student groups accountable.
"Have you directed your Office of Civil Rights to investigate and prosecute the leaders of groups like U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, or Within Our Lifetime?" Scott wrote.
Scott then directed Garland to "weed out" the sources of funding and organization for the protests.
The Department of Justice confirmed the receipt of the letter to Axios but declined to comment.
The push for federal action follows the student takeover of a building at Columbia University early Tuesday morning. Dozens of protesters locked arms in front of Hamilton Hall and carried furniture and metal barricades to the building. They also reportedly draped a "Free Palestine" banner out the window.
In a statement Tuesday, Columbia spokesperson Ben Chang said, "Students occupying the building face expulsion." The university had given protesters a chance to leave peacefully and finish the semester, Chang said, but those who didn't agree to the terms set on Monday were being suspended. These students are restricted from all academic and recreational spaces and allowed only to enter their residences. For seniors, suspension also makes them ineligible to graduate.
"Protesters have chosen to escalate to an untenable situation — vandalizing property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances — and we are following through with the consequences we outlined yesterday," he said.
According to Axios, New York University and Cornell have also said they will begin suspending students involved in the pro-Palestine encampments.
The outlet reported at least 40 people were arrested at the University of Texas in Austin on Monday and nine were detained at the University of Florida.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.