Police Loom as Pro-Palestine Students Occupy Columbia University – Mother Jones

Najib Aminy

New York Metropolis Police gathered in pressure exterior of Columbia College on Wednesday, after college students convened within the pre-dawn hours to erect dozens of tenting tents on a campus garden. The demonstration backing Palestine was launched hours earlier than president Minouche Shafik started testifying at a Congressional listening to addressing allegations of anti-semitism on campus within the wake of Hamas’ October 7 assault on Israel.

The scholars are a part of the Columbia College Apartheid Divest coalition, which shaped after directors suspended chapters of College students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace this fall, claiming violations of campus security and occasion planning guidelines.

Organizers of the tent occupation drew inspiration from Vietnam-era protestors who, after Columbia introduced plans to construct a pupil fitness center by grabbing metropolis parkland, occupied directors’ workplaces in 1968 and demanded the college reduce ties with a protection division suppose tank.

Right now’s divestment coalition is equally demanding the college’s board reduce all funding ties with weapons producers which were supplying Israel, in addition to, based on organizer Isra Hirsi, lengthen amnesty to pro-Palestinian college students who’ve been punished for previous campus actions.

“I by no means anticipated to see this many individuals right here,” mentioned Hirsi, a Barnard pupil who’s the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, “even supposing they know the dangers of disciplinary motion and arrest.” 

Whereas Columbia’s grounds are often open to all, it has largely closed the campus gates and barred public entry following demonstrations this fall protesting Israel’s battle in Gaza that the administration mentioned had been unsanctioned. (Once I requested entry, spokesperson Robert Hornsby denied me, claiming I couldn’t observe beneath a longstanding coverage associated to “our end-of-term campus preparations.”)

Professional-Israel demonstrators are additionally anticipated to stage a rally close to campus relating to Shafik’s testimony, organising a day of stress and excessive police presence.