Masked protesters disrupt Columbia’s first day back with anti-Israel rallies

Karah Rucker

STUDENTS HAVE RETURNED TO THE CAMPUS OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.

THE SCHOOL KICKING OFF ITS FIRST DAY OF CLASSES THIS WEEK.

IT ALSO MARKED THE RETURN OF PRO-PALESTINAN PROTESTERS, REIGNITING TENSIONS THAT ROCKED THE UNIVERSITY DURING THE LAST ACADEMIC YEAR.

AROUND 50 DEMONSTRATORS GATHERED IN FRONT OF COLUMBIA’S MAIN GATES ON TUESDAY, WAVING  PALESTINIAN FLAGS AND CHANTING “FREE PALESTINE!”

THE NYPD REPORTED SOME PROTESTERS WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. MEANWHILE, A COLUMBIA SPOKESPERSON SAID DESPITE THE PROTESTS, THE UNIVERSITY HAD A PRODUCTIVE FIRST DAY. 

SOME ENTRANCES WERE CLOSED AND ACCESS WAS LIMITED TO STUDENTS, STAFF, AND PREAUTHORIZED GUESTS. COLUMBIA’S NEW LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN WORKING TO CALM TENSIONS BY HOLDING LISTENING SESSIONS.

THE UNIVERSITY RELEASED A REPORT ON CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM, AND EVEN ROLLED OUT NEW PROTEST GUIDELINES AIMED AT REDUCING DISRUPTION. BUT FOR STUDENT ORGANIZERS, THESE MEASURES AREN’T ENOUGH.

THEY SAY THEY’RE PLANNING TO ESCALATE THEIR ACTIONS INCLUDING POTENTIAL ENCAMPMENTS UNTIL THE UNIVERSITY CUTS TIES WITH COMPANIES LINKED TO ISRAEL. 

THIS SEMESTER BEGINS UNDER THE SHADOW OF LAST SPRING’S TURMOIL, WHICH SAW THEN-PRESIDENT MINOUCHE SHAFIK (Mi-noush SHA-FIK) RESIGN AFTER TWICE CALLING IN POLICE TO BREAK UP PROTEST ENCAMPMENTS. THE UNIVERSITY WENT INTO LOCKDOWN WHEN POLICE MADE ARRESTS DURING A STUDENT OCCUPATION OF A CAMPUS BUILDING, FURTHER ESCALATING TENSIONS. 

TODAY, THE ATMOSPHERE AT COLUMBIA IS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT. SECURITY HAS BEEN TIGHT, WITH ID CHECKS AT CAMPUS GATES, AND NEW RULES PROHIBITING CAMPING ON UNIVERSITY GROUNDS. 

THIS ALL COMES AMID A BROADER DEBATE AT COLUMBIA AND AT UNIVERSITIES NATIONWIDE ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM. 

AS THE SEMESTER BEGINS, FACULTY AND STUDENTS ARE UNSURE WHAT THE COMING WEEKS WILL HOLD. WE’LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AND BRING YOU UPDATES AS EVENTS UNFOLD.