Student protesters at Columbia University have intensified their stance against the institution’s financial ties to Israel, culminating in the occupation of Hamilton Hall, one of the university’s central buildings. This drastic move followed President Nemat Minouche Shafik’s announcement that Columbia would not divest from Israel, a decision that has propelled weeks of unrest on campus, echoing a wider wave of campus demonstrations across the United States.
The occupation began in the early hours of Tuesday when protesters declared control over Hamilton Hall, with several individuals barricading themselves inside, flying a Palestinian flag from the building’s windows. An NBC News reporter observed smashed windows as dozens made their entrance. Around 200 student protesters were reported to have barricaded the building’s entrance, with about a dozen inside, according to CNN.
Columbia’s response has been firm, with a statement from the university promising expulsion to students occupying the building. Columbia spokesperson Ben Chang expressed regret over the escalation, stating, “Students who did not commit to the terms we offered are now being suspended,” and emphasized that the primary goal was to restore safety and order on campus.
The university’s administration, dealing with the ongoing protests, restricted access to the Morningside campus to residential students and essential employees, with media access cut off to ensure safety. This restriction is expected to remain until circumstances allow otherwise, as the institution prioritizes the well-being of its community.
Amidst the campus turmoil, national security has become a concern. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby relayed President Joe Biden’s views, condemning student occupation of an academic building as “absolutely the wrong approach,” and not representative of peaceful protest. The U.N. human rights chief, Volker Türk, has expressed worry over the forceful measures taken against protests on U.S. campuses, while also condemning any form of antisemitic, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian rhetoric.
The fallout from the protests has affected not only Columbia but also other universities nationwide, with confrontations and arrests reported from Cal Poly Humboldt, UNC Chapel Hill, and the University of Texas at Austin, among others.
Relevant articles:
– Student Protests at Columbia Escalate With Hamilton Hall Occupation(businessinsider.com)
– Columbia University threatens to expel student protesters occupying an administration building, The Associated Press, 04/30/2024
– Live updates Columbia students occupy university building as tensions rise on campuses, The Washington Post, 04/30/2024
– Campus protests live updates: Columbia closed to nonresidential students, encampments cleared at other schools, NBC News, 04/30/2024
– Columbia protesters occupy Hamilton Hall as university standoff escalates, Al Jazeera English, 04/30/2024