Who Are The Protesters At Columbia University?

Protests have a long history at Columbia University, with students protesting against the US government's involvement in the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 70s, and against apartheid in South Africa in the 1980s. In 2024, Columbia University students protested against Israel's bombardment of Gaza, with hundreds of police officers being called in to end the occupation of an administration building. The protests led to the cancellation of the university-wide commencement ceremony and the arrest of more than 100 protesters, including the daughter of Democratic US Rep. Ilhan Omar. While some have questioned whether the protesters are students of the university, the protests have sparked a nationwide movement, with over 2,500 people arrested across college campuses in the US.

Were the Columbia University protesters violent?

Protests at Columbia University have a long history, with the university's website itself archiving the historical record of student protests since the 20th century.

In 1968, over 700 students occupied five buildings on campus, including Hamilton Hall, and held the acting dean of Columbia College, Henry Coleman, hostage for over 24 hours. The students were protesting the US government's involvement in the Vietnam War, among other demands, including those of the civil rights movement and the university's intention of building a neighbourhood gym that would have excluded Black Harlem residents. Over 700 students were arrested and disciplined, with 30 suspensions upheld.

In 1972, over 60 Columbia students and community members occupied several buildings, including Hamilton Hall, Kent Hall, and Lewisohn Hall, in support of campus anti-war demonstrations. The protesters' demands included an immediate withdrawal of US forces from Vietnam and the resignation of five Columbia faculty members from the Jason Division of the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA). A total of 48 students were charged in May 1972, with only three convicted at a disciplinary hearing. The university pardoned them, and in April 1973, the charges were dropped for the remaining students.

In 1985, about 300 students blockaded Hamilton Hall for about three weeks, demanding that Columbia University divest from its investments in South Africa-related companies. Fifty-four student protesters received a sentence of one semester of disciplinary warning, and in the fall of the same year, the university agreed to divest.

In 1987, over 40 Columbia students blockaded Hamilton Hall in protest over the way the university was addressing racial tensions on campus following a fight between white and Black students. The most serious charges against the protesters were dropped.

In 1996, Columbia students protested, demanding the creation of an Ethnic Studies department. About 100 students occupied Hamilton Hall and Low Library for four days, and the protest included a hunger strike.

In the spring of 2019, students occupied the President's office in Low Library to demand that the university divest from fossil fuels.

More recently, in 2024, Columbia University became the epicenter of protests against Israel, with pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrating outside the school gates. The previous academic year had concluded with the New York Police Department raiding a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus, leading to more than 100 arrests. The protests in 2024 included the dousing of the Alma Mater statue outside Low Memorial Library with red paint, allegedly by protesters. The university's tall iron gates, which were once open to the public, are now guarded, requiring students to present identification to enter campus.

While the protests have been characterised as "peaceful" by police, there have been disruptions and arrests. The university has implemented increased security measures, including additional patrol strength, more personnel for campus escort services, and enhanced security along the campus perimeter.

In summary, while some protests at Columbia University have involved violence and disruptions, resulting in arrests and disciplinary actions, others have been carried out peacefully through occupations, demonstrations, and hunger strikes. The university has responded to these incidents with a range of approaches, from disciplinary measures to negotiations and concessions.

What were the consequences for Columbia University protesters?

Columbia University has a long history of student protest movements, with consequences for those involved.

2024 Protests

In 2024, Columbia University became the epicentre of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, with students protesting against the Israel-Hamas war. The protests gained national attention, with police arresting over 2,950 people across at least 61 campuses. Columbia's protests also spurred students at other universities to form encampments.

The university's president, Minouche Shafik, faced backlash for her decisions and resigned. She was criticised for not doing enough to protect Jewish students from antisemitism and for calling the police onto campus to arrest protesters, a move that was against university statutes. Over 100 protesters were arrested, including the daughter of Democratic US Rep. Ilhan Omar.

The protests led to the cancellation of Columbia's university-wide commencement ceremony, with smaller, school-based graduation ceremonies taking place off-campus instead.

1968 Protests

In 1968, Columbia University students held extensive demonstrations and sit-ins to protest the Vietnam War and call for civil rights. Over 700 students occupied five campus buildings and held the acting dean of Columbia College, Henry Coleman, hostage for over 24 hours.

Over 700 students were arrested, with 73 suspended from the university, though most were later reinstated. The acting president of Columbia University, Andrew W. Cordier, requested "maximum leniency" for the students, and their penalties were reduced to censure.

1972 Protests

In 1972, over 60 Columbia students and community members occupied several buildings, including Hamilton Hall, Kent Hall, and Lewisohn Hall, in support of anti-war demonstrations. Lewisohn Hall was occupied for 17 days.

A total of 48 students were charged, with only three convicted at a disciplinary hearing. Columbia University pardoned these students, and later dropped the charges of the remaining three.

1985 Protests

In 1985, about 300 students blockaded Hamilton Hall for about three weeks, demanding that Columbia University divest from its investments in South Africa-related companies. Fifty-four student protesters received a sentence of one semester of disciplinary warning. Columbia University agreed to divest the following year.

1987 Protests

In 1987, over 40 Columbia students blockaded Hamilton Hall in protest over the university's handling of racial tensions on campus. The most serious charges against the protesters were dropped.

1996 Protests

In 1996, Columbia students protested, demanding the creation of an Ethnic Studies department. About 100 students occupied Hamilton Hall and Low Library for four days, with some going on a hunger strike. The protest was resolved by Professor Carol Liebman of the law school, who served as a mediator.

2019 Protests

In 2019, students occupied the President's office in Low Library to demand that the university divest from fossil fuels. The students were represented by several law faculty members. As a consequence, the students were asked to write an essay and an apology letter to the custodial staff.

Columbia University later agreed to divest from fossil fuels, announcing in 2020 that it would no longer invest in oil or gas companies.

What were the protesters' demands?

In April 2024, pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University occupied Hamilton Hall, a key campus building, in an escalation of their months-long demonstration against Israel's war in Gaza. The protesters' demands centred around Columbia's divestment from companies they believed were profiting from Israel's treatment of Palestinians. This echoed a similar campaign from the 1980s, which called for economic boycotts against South Africa.

Indeed, in 1985, Columbia's trustees board voted to sell its stock in US companies involved with South Africa following protests. This time, however, Columbia's president, Minouche Shafik, rejected divestment calls. The protesters' three key demands were:

• Divestment from Israel and companies supporting the war in Gaza
• Financial transparency
• Amnesty for protesters

In addition to these demands, protesters also wanted an examination of the US government's business interests in South Africa and a suspension of work for the US government from Columbia's School of International Affairs.

How did Columbia University respond to the protests?

Columbia University's response to the 2024 protests was to call in the New York Police Department to clear the pro-Palestinian encampment and arrest over 100 protesters. This was a rare move for the private institution and it resulted in backlash for then-Columbia President Minouche Shafik, who was accused of not doing enough to protect Jewish students from antisemitism.

After the first round of arrests, protesters rebuilt the encampment, and it stayed until April 30. On that day, protesters occupied the university's Hamilton Hall after Shafik announced the university would not divest from companies with ties to Israel. Columbia negotiated with protesters for several days to find a path that would result in the dismantling of the encampment and adherence to university policies but no agreement was reached. The university then brought in the police to clear the encampment for a second time, arresting more than 100 people.

A University Senate report concluded that Columbia had broken its own rules by overriding the group's rejection of bringing police onto the campus to deal with the protesters. This decision also drew criticism from faculty members, who said the university did not abide by its own policies and that it resulted in a violation of students' rights.

In response to the backlash, Shafik withstood calls for her resignation for several months. Ultimately, however, she stepped down in August 2024, amid pressure from both supporters and critics of the protesters.

What was the role of the police?

The role of the police during the Columbia University protests was to break up the pro-Palestinian demonstrations and arrest students. On April 18 and 30, 2024, the New York Police Department (NYPD) carried out two raids on campus, making arrests during both. The police were equipped with military-grade weapons and riot gear, including shields, batons, tasers, zip ties, and guns. They used armoured vehicles, flash-bangs, and ''distraction devices'' to gain entry to the occupied buildings and disperse the crowds.

The police presence was requested by the university administration, specifically Columbia's president, Minouche Shafik. She asked for a continued police presence on campus until at least May 17, 2024, to "maintain order and ensure encampments are not re-established." The administration's decision to involve the police was controversial and seen as a violation of the university's shared governance policies and the framework established after the 1968 student protests.

The NYPD's actions during the Columbia University protests were met with criticism from politicians, civil rights groups, and academics. The New York congressman, Jamaal Bowman, expressed outrage at the level of police presence and the arrest of students, stating that it was "in direct opposition to the role of education as a cornerstone of our democracy." Roosevelt Montás, a professor at Columbia, described the community as "broken down" following the arrests. Archon Fung, a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School, questioned the use of aggressive force, noting that the atmosphere at the college encampments was largely peaceful.

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