Palestinian Students At Columbia: A Comprehensive Overview

Columbia University has been at the centre of pro-Palestinian protests since 2023, with students calling for the university to divest from Israel. In April 2024, pro-Palestinian students established an encampment of around 50 tents, calling it the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. The university called the NYPD to dismantle the camp, resulting in the arrest of over 100 protesters. The protests led to Columbia switching to hybrid learning for the rest of the semester and the resignation of university president Minouche Shafik in August 2024. While the number of Palestinian students at Columbia University is unknown, the university has been an epicentre of pro-Palestinian activism, with students willing to put their bodies and academics on the line for the cause.

The number of Palestinian students at Columbia University is unknown, but the university has been the site of pro-Palestinian protests

While the exact number of Palestinian students at Columbia University is unknown, the university has been the site of pro-Palestinian protests. In April 2024, pro-Palestinian students established an encampment of around 50 tents on the university campus, calling for the university to divest from Israel. This was met with a strong response from the university, which called in the NYPD to conduct mass arrests and dismantle the encampment. A second encampment was established the next day, and the university entered into negotiations with protesters. However, these negotiations failed, leading to the suspension of student protesters and a second NYPD raid which resulted in over 100 arrests.

The protests at Columbia University were part of a broader movement of pro-Palestinian demonstrations at universities across the United States, with students demanding that their institutions divest from Israel and companies supporting the Israel-Hamas war. These protests sparked counter-protests from pro-Israel groups, and there were reports of antisemitic incidents and rhetoric at some demonstrations. The situation at Columbia University led to the resignation of university president Minouche Shafik in August 2024.

While the number of Palestinian students involved in these protests is not known, the events highlight the passionate and divisive nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the impact it has on university campuses. The protests also raise questions about the role of universities in addressing controversial political issues and the limits of free speech and expression on campus.

The pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University and other universities have had significant impacts on the campus community and beyond. The university switched to hybrid learning following the protests, and the university-wide graduation ceremony for 2024 was cancelled. The protests also sparked legal action, with the NYCLU and Palestine Legal suing Columbia University for unlawfully suspending student groups involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The lawsuit alleges that Columbia failed to comply with its own procedures and treated pro-Palestinian student groups differently from other groups on campus.

In 2024, pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University established a Gaza Solidarity Encampment, demanding the university divest from Israel

In 2024, pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University established a Gaza Solidarity Encampment, demanding that the university divest from Israel. The protests, which took place from April to June, were in response to the broader Israel-Hamas war and demanded that Columbia University financially divest from companies with business ties to the Israeli government, including Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon.

The first encampment was established on April 17, 2024, with approximately 50 tents and Palestinian flags on the university campus. The students called for a ceasefire, divestment, and an end to the war. The university president, Minouche Shafik, authorised the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to enter the campus and conduct mass arrests, leading to the dismantling of the first encampment. However, the protesters quickly built a second encampment the next day, and negotiations between the administration and protesters began.

During the protests, there were reports of antisemitism, with some Jewish students feeling unsafe or targeted. There were also counter-protests from pro-Israel groups, and the situation escalated to the point where the NYPD was authorised to enter the campus and conduct raids, resulting in the arrest of more than 100 protesters and the dismantling of the camp.

Despite the tensions and challenges, the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Columbia University in 2024 represented a sustained effort by pro-Palestinian students to demand change and bring attention to the role of the United States and the university in supporting Israel. The protests had a significant impact, with Columbia University switching to hybrid learning for the rest of the semester and the university president, Minouche Shafik, eventually resigning.

Pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University have staged demonstrations during the Israel-Hamas war

However, these negotiations fell through on April 29, resulting in the suspension of student protesters. The next day, protesters occupied Hamilton Hall, leading to a second NYPD raid and the arrest of over 100 protesters. The protests caused Columbia University to switch to hybrid learning for the rest of the semester.

The protests at Columbia University were part of a broader movement, with similar demonstrations occurring at other universities across the United States. The protests sparked debates around free speech, antisemitism, and the role of outside agitators. While some criticised the protests as antisemitic, pro-Palestinian Jewish protesters rejected these assertions, arguing that the movement was not hateful or unsafe for Jewish students.

In addition to the demonstrations, pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University also published an anti-Israel newsletter called "The Columbia Intifada" in December 2024. The newsletter was met with strong condemnation, including from New York Congressman Mike Lawler, who called for the university to lose federal funding and have its tax-exempt status revoked. The university itself also denounced the publication and suspended the group responsible, Students for Justice in Palestine, for violating school policies.

In 2024, Columbia University suspended the student group Students for Justice in Palestine for distributing anti-Israel literature

In 2024, Columbia University suspended the student group Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) for distributing anti-Israel literature. The suspension came after the group repeatedly violated university policies, including through the use of "threatening rhetoric and intimidation".

The group's publication, known as "The Columbia Intifada", was met with widespread criticism and outrage. The university itself denounced the newspaper, which included articles with titles such as "Zionist Peace Means Palestinian Blood" and "The Myth of the Two-State Solution". The articles were deemed hateful and antagonistic towards Jews, referring to them as "colonists" and "subjugators".

The university's decision to suspend SJP was influenced by the group's unauthorized association with the school and the breach of its values. The suspension meant that the group lost access to university funding and could no longer hold events on university property.

The incident sparked debates about free speech and the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While some criticized the university's response, others argued that the publication promoted violence and made Jewish students feel unsafe.

The suspension of SJP at Columbia University reflects the broader tensions and activism surrounding the conflict between Israel and Hamas, with campuses across the nation witnessing debates, protests, and occasional violence.

Pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University have been arrested by the NYPD for their involvement in protests and occupations

Columbia University has been the site of several pro-Palestinian protests, with students rallying against the university's ties to companies with connections to Israel. The protests began on April 17, 2024, when pro-Palestinian students set up an encampment of around 50 tents on the university campus, calling for the university to divest from Israel. The first encampment was removed by the NYPD on April 18, leading to mass arrests. A new encampment was built the following day, but protests continued throughout April and May, with students occupying Hamilton Hall and the university switching to hybrid learning for the rest of the semester.

On April 30, 2024, the NYPD arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University. The protesters had occupied Hamilton Hall, an academic building on campus. According to a police spokesperson, "dozens" of arrests were made within three hours of the police arriving on the scene. The protesters were loaded onto a bus with their hands bound behind their backs by zip-ties.

The NYPD had been invited onto the campus by Columbia University President Minouche Shafik, who requested that police remain on campus until May 17, two days after graduation, "to maintain order and ensure that encampments are not re-established." Shafik stated that the occupiers of Hamilton Hall had vandalised university property and were trespassing.

In total, more than 100 protesters were arrested during the April 30 raid on Hamilton Hall. Of those arrested, 46 individuals were initially charged with criminal trespass in the third degree, a class B misdemeanour. On June 21, 2024, a New York judge dismissed the cases against 30 of these individuals, with prosecutors citing a lack of evidence. 15 defendants still face charges.

The protests at Columbia University are part of a broader movement of pro-Palestinian demonstrations at universities across the United States, with students calling for their schools to divest from companies supporting Israel's government.

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