Masked demonstrators chant slogans and push barricades as tensions escalate on the first day of classes, following a series of protests and arrests in the spring.
Masked anti-Israel protesters disrupted the start of classes at Columbia University on Tuesday, demonstrating outside entrances and chanting demands for divestment from companies linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The demonstrations, reminiscent of a series of protests that rocked the university in the spring, drew a heavy police presence amidst a tense atmosphere on campus. At least one protester was arrested, while others were involved in scuffles with police and pushed barricades.
Anti-Israel Protests Erupt at Columbia University Amidst Campus Divide
The protests stem from a long-standing demand by the Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (CSJP) for the university to divest from companies it alleges are complicit in human rights violations against Palestinians. The group specifically targets weapons manufacturers and defense contractors like Lockheed Martin.
"We refuse to live in a world where the mass murder of Palestinians is normal, acceptable, and profitable. Columbia University is complicit in genocide," the CSJP stated on its website.
Anti-Israel Protests Erupt at Columbia University Amidst Campus Divide
The protests come just days after Hamas released footage of six slain Israeli hostages, including 23-year-old Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who were captured during terror attacks in southern Israel in 2023. Hamas still holds nearly 100 other hostages.
One protester at Tuesday's demonstration told Fox News that the protests would continue until Columbia University ended its alleged complicity in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Anti-Israel Protests Erupt at Columbia University Amidst Campus Divide
"We are here because there is still an ongoing genocide that the United States is materially and politically responsible for," the student said.
Columbia University has not yet responded to requests for comment on the protests.
Anti-Israel Protests Erupt at Columbia University Amidst Campus Divide
In late April, an anti-Israel mob broke into and occupied Hamilton Hall on Columbia University's campus, placing a banner over the facility, renaming it "Hind’s Hall" after Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old who died during Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
The protests on Tuesday are the latest in a series of demonstrations that have taken place at Columbia University and other campuses across the United States in recent years. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a source of tension and debate on college campuses, with student groups on both sides organizing protests and rallies.
Anti-Israel Protests Erupt at Columbia University Amidst Campus Divide
As tensions escalate at Columbia University, the campus community is divided on the issue of Israel-Palestine. Some students support the divestment campaign, while others oppose it, arguing that it is misguided and counterproductive.
The university administration has attempted to mediate the conflict by appointing a task force to examine the issue of divestment and make recommendations. However, the task force's report, released in 2022, failed to resolve the matter and instead deepened the divisions on campus.
Anti-Israel Protests Erupt at Columbia University Amidst Campus Divide
The protests on Tuesday are a reminder of the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the challenges universities face in addressing these issues. As the new semester begins, it remains to be seen how the protests will continue and whether the university will be able to bridge the divide between students and find a path forward that is acceptable to all.
