In late 2023 and early 2024, Sumaita Mulk emerged as a visible spokesperson for Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a coalition revived following the October 7 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks and Israel’s subsequent military response. CUAD publicly positioned itself as representing over 80 student groups and demanded a ceasefire, divestment from Israel, and the reinstatement of Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, both of which had been suspended by the Columbia administration.
As a CUAD spokesperson, Mulk was quoted in media coverage defending the coalition’s objectives and framing the university’s disciplinary actions as political repression. CUAD communications during this period promoted slogans and messaging that framed “resistance” as justified, language widely criticized for functioning as a euphemism for political violence within extremist activist networks.
At the time, Mulk was a JD candidate at Columbia Law School, slated to graduate in May 2024. She also held formal roles within campus legal and advocacy structures, including serving as a 1L Representative for Columbia Law Students for Palestine, a staff editor for the Columbia Human Rights Law Review, and an articles editor for the Jailhouse Lawyer’s Manual.
Mulk’s activism took place against the backdrop of escalating campus unrest, including mass demonstrations, illegal encampments, and coordinated pressure campaigns aimed at forcing institutional compliance with CUAD’s demands. These efforts contributed to heightened campus tensions and were widely cited as part of the environment that led to administrative intervention and NYPD involvement.
Record of Advocacy and Ideological Bias
Academic and Organizational Roles
- JD candidate at Columbia Law School
- 1L Representative for Columbia Law Students for Palestine
- Staff editor at Columbia Human Rights Law Review
- Article editor for the Jailhouse Lawyer’s Manual
Public Statements and Activism
- Served as public spokesperson for Columbia University Apartheid Divest
- Advocated for reinstatement of suspended SJP and JVP chapters
- Defended BDS aligned demands including divestment and protest immunity
- Publicly framed university disciplinary actions as political repression
Collaborations and Affiliations
- Columbia University Apartheid Divest
- Columbia Law Students for Palestine
- Alignment with broader BDS and anti Israel campus activist networks
Impact on Campus Climate and Accountability Concerns
As a spokesperson and organizer, Mulk played a central role in legitimizing and amplifying a coalition whose rhetoric and tactics escalated campus conflict following October 7. CUAD’s framing of protest activity, its defense of suspended organizations with documented extremist associations, and its normalization of radicalized political language contributed to an environment of intimidation, polarization, and institutional instability. Her involvement highlights how student legal and advocacy structures were leveraged to advance ideological campaigns that undermined campus safety, trust, and accountability.
