'Persecution': Outpouring of anger after 'termination' of pro-Palestine Columbia professor

Academics, activists and alumni are criticising Columbia University this week after tenured professor Katherine Franke announced that the institution pressured her to retire over her vocal criticism of Israel and support for pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

Franke founded the Center for Gender and Sexuality Law and served on the executive committee of Columbia's Center for Palestine Studies.

Late last week, she announced in a statement that she had "reached an agreement" with the university to retire after serving 25 years as a law faculty member. But while the university may call this change in status "retirement", Franke said, it should be "understood as a termination dressed up in more palatable terms".

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