2024 Columbia University pro-Palestinian campus occupation
2024 occupation protest at Columbia University, New York City / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A series of occupation protests by pro-Palestinian students occurred at Columbia University in New York City in April 2024, in the context of the broader Israel–Hamas war related protests in the United States. The protests began on April 17, 2024, when pro-Palestinian students established an encampment of approximately 50 tents, calling it the Gaza Solidarity Encampment,[2][3] on the university's campus, demanding the university divest from Israel.
2024 Columbia University pro-Palestinian campus occupation | |||
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Part of the 2024 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses and student activism at Columbia University | |||
Date | April 17–30, 2024 (1 week and 6 days) | ||
Location | 40°48′27″N 73°57′43″W | ||
Caused by | Opposition to Columbia University's investments in Israel | ||
Goals | Columbia University's divestment from Israel | ||
Methods | |||
Resulted in | Protesters suppressed
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Lead figures | |||
Protesters and organizers | |||
Casualties | |||
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Arrested | 232 protesters arrested[nb 1] |
The encampment was forcibly dismantled the next day[clarification needed] when university president Minouche Shafik authorized the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to enter the campus and conduct mass arrests.[3][4] A new encampment was built the next day. The administration then entered into negotiations with protesters, which failed on April 29 and resulted in the suspension of student protesters.[5] The next day, protesters broke into and occupied Hamilton Hall,[6] leading to a second NYPD raid, the arrest of more than 100 protesters, and the dismantling of the camp.[7] The arrests marked the first time Columbia allowed police to suppress campus protests since the 1968 demonstrations against the Vietnam War.[8]
As a result of the protests, Columbia University switched to hybrid learning (incorporating more online learning) for the rest of the semester.[9] The protests encouraged other actions at multiple universities. Several incidents described as antisemitic took place during the protests.[10] Organizers have said they were the work of outside agitators and non-students.[11] Pro-Palestinian Jewish protesters have said that the protests were not antisemitic. [12] On May 6th, the school administration announced the cancellation of the university-wide graduation ceremony scheduled on May 15th and would instead make "Class Days and school-level ceremonies" the "centerpiece" of their Commencement activities. [13]