Columbia University arrests ignite nationwide campus uproar
Over 100 individuals were arrested at Columbia University, sparking pro-Palestinian protests at numerous other colleges across the United States. What are the protesters demanding?
At New York's Ivy League institution, Columbia University (CU), students initiated a peaceful protest on April 17, calling for a ceasefire in Palestine and urging the university to cut ties with American companies that manufacture arms and ammunition. Many highlighted on social media that the protest occurred within a designated campus area.
Attempt by New York university to disperse student demonstration
University authorities requested the assistance of the New York police—a force that typically does not intervene on university grounds—to remove the protesters on April 18. A total of 108 students were detained for "trespassing." These individuals had already been stripped of their student rights earlier that day, a precondition that allowed law enforcement to remove them from the campus where they study legally.
Contrary to the university's intentions, the crackdown significantly increased the number of demonstrators. By April 21, some professors had joined the protest, condemning the university's unacceptable treatment of the protesting students.
On April 22, CU President Dr. Minouche Shafik announced the transition to virtual classes for the day. This statement acknowledged concerns over the use of police against protesters and addressed the unacceptability of anti-Semitism without mentioning Palestine or a ceasefire.
Anti-Semitism is frequently cited by critics of protests against the actions of Israel's government and military in the Gaza Strip. While anti-Semitism undeniably exists globally, objecting to the destruction of the Gaza Strip and, crucially, its people is not an expression of anti-Semitism. Notably, among the protesters are many individuals of Jewish descent.
Protests have spread from Columbia to other universities in the USA
The protests that originated at Columbia University have extended to other New York colleges and beyond. On April 22, 47 individuals were arrested at Yale University for refusing to dismantle protest tents. Students being taken to buses were met with loud applause and expressions of support from spectators.
On the evening of the same day, the New York police responded to a protest at New York University (NYU). The demonstrators there were peaceful, having set up tents and were protected by two cordons: one of students and another of non-university individuals. This kept them separated from the police. During a prayer session by Muslim protesters, NYU professors and lecturers shielded them by joining hands. Social media, especially TikTok, has been awash with firsthand coverage of these university protests.
