Tensions Surge at Columbia: Ignored Deadlines, Intifada Banners and Suspensions
Columbia University, a focal point for anti-Israel protests that have spread across US college campuses, initiated suspensions of student demonstrators on Monday after students ignored a university ultimatum to dismantle their protest encampment. Authorities at the New York institution set a final deadline of 2:00 PM local time for the protesters to disperse, threatening disciplinary actions. The deadline was met with defiance; images circulated by the Students for Justice in Palestine showed copies of the ultimatum defaced with provocative messages.
This comes after the Columbia Spectator student newspaper reported that New York City police officers in unmarked cars arrived outside Hamilton Hall, where banners reading “intifada” and “Gaza Calls Columbia Falls” had been unfurled from the building’s windows after being taken over by pro-Palestinian protesters.
The university’s Vice President of Communications, Ben Chang, confirmed that the suspensions are part of Columbia’s broader effort to ensure campus safety, stating that suspended students would be ineligible to complete the semester or graduate. Columbia University President Minouche Shafik also commented on the situation, highlighting the distressing impact on Jewish students and the breakdown of negotiations with protesters. Despite protesters’ demands for divestment from Israel and transparency in university finances, Shafik announced that Columbia would not divest but proposed alternative support measures for Gaza.
The protests have drawn international attention, reminiscent of historical campus activism, and have prompted political responses, including from President Biden’s administration, which emphasized lawful free expression while condemning antisemitism. As the academic year approaches its end, Columbia insists that any continued demonstrations meet university guidelines and occur in authorized locations after exams.
