On December 12th, 2023, a pro-Palestinian student activist at SUNY Purchase College was assaulted by Paul Nicholson, the college’s ombudsman and head of special programs. Nicholson had, in the weeks leading up to the assault, displayed a banner in the window of the Student Services building that read, “We Stand with Israel.” The student peacefully entered Nicholson’s office and attempted to remove the banner. The student did not approach Nicholson or threaten him in any way. As the student pulled the banner off, Nicholson stood and approached the student, grabbing them and pushing them to the ground. At this point, the student attempted to leave the office, but once again, Nicholson grabbed and restrained them, growing increasingly aggressive while the student remained nonviolent and called for help. Eventually, a third party stepped in, and the two were separated. The student recorded the entire incident, and the video clearly shows that Nicholson was the ONLY aggressor in this physical confrontation.

The Purchase College administration responded by suspending the student and opening a disciplinary proceeding against them. However, staff member Paul Nicholson has EXPERIENCED NO CONSEQUENCES FOR HIS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR. The disciplinary office is asking that the student accept expulsion, and it has purposely mislabeled their actions as an anti-semitic hate crime. An act that dangerously conflates criticism of Israel and Zionist ideology with the institutionalized system of ethnocentric, racist prejudice against Jewish people. The Purchase administration is attempting to charge the student with violating the following college regulations:

C.1: Harm, abuse, injury
C.3: Threatens, harasses, intimidates
C.4: Coerces, detains, physical force
D.1: Removes, steals, sells
F.6: Fails to respect ongoing legitimate functions

We ask the Purchase community and all who wish to support to stand together and demand fair disciplinary action. Most of these charges (except for D.1) are COMPLETELY FABRICATED. This is a transparent attempt by Purchase College to paint the student as an aggressor and protect a high-ranking member of the administration against scrutiny for his physical assault of a student WHO POSED NO THREAT TO HIM. It is shameful for the Office of Community Standards to suggest expulsion for the protesting student while the real aggressor faces no accountability for his response, blatantly violating campus policy.

Please sign and share this petition to ensure an unbiased disciplinary hearing. This student deserves to be a part of the Purchase community, and their voice is valuable regarding campus safety. Never will we stand idly by while Purchase refuses to acknowledge the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The Purchase administration has ceaselessly ignored the calls of the student body to stand against settler occupation of Palestine, silencing us in the name of “security.” The incident in Nicholson's office is yet another example. How exactly does defending an administrator responsible for the assault of a student increase “security” on campus? With this petition, we hope to set ground where the voice of the students speaks louder than that of the corrupt and morally bankrupt Purchase administration.

**Even though every donation to help spread awareness is appreciated, we do not personally encourage to donate, instead please send your funds to the people who are suffering in Palestine. Thank you!**