Columbia University is currently experiencing a tense calm after a group of students camped on campus in support of Gaza took over one of the campus buildings for almost two weeks. Despite the threat of academic suspension, the campers remained in the 80 remaining tents on Monday. Early on Tuesday, a group of protesters barricaded themselves in Hamilton Hall, a building with a history of lockdowns since the Vietnam War and protests in 1968. The White House condemned the takeover of the building as an inappropriate approach to peaceful protests.
The ongoing protests at Columbia University stem from the previous eviction of a camp two weeks ago, which resulted in over hundred arrests and sparked further mobilization across the country. As a result, NGOs, activist groups and UN representatives have expressed their support for the students’ peaceful protest. They have criticized forceful measures taken by some universities to disperse protests and dismantle camps.
After occupying the building, Columbia University authorities closed all entrances except one and limited entry to essential personnel and students in residence halls. The occupiers have demanded that the university withdraw its investments from companies linked to Israel. The protesters have renamed the building Hind Hall in memory of a Palestinian girl who died in Gaza.
As graduation ceremonies approach, Columbia University is carefully considering its next steps to avoid any further unrest or disruption to normal operations on campus. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if this peaceful protest will succeed in bringing about any real change or if it will continue to escalate with more arrests and condemnation from authorities.