Columbia University is one of the campuses Americans are watching to see how entrenched anti-Israel protests will play out. Currently, dozens of protestors have formed an encampment obstructing a building on campus. Having ignored and defied an ultimatum to leave campus, the protestors are facing expulsion.
Nationwide Campus Protests Intensify
While Columbia University has taken over as the face of the current protest moment, other protests across the nation are also escalating alongside Columbia’s protest. Law enforcement has become involved in other campuses, resulting in arrests and confrontations. Some lawmakers believe that is not enough and have endorsed activating the National Guard to ensure order on campuses in the interest of public safety.
Ceasefire Talks and Campus Protests
Developments in the international conflict between Hamas and Israel are only tangentially informing the protestors on the ground. As a framework for a ceasefire is developing internationally, there is no negotiation or movement toward resolution occurring correspondingly on the campus protests, which have taken on a life of their own.
Historic Venue for Protest
Protesters at Columbia have set up a purposive parallelism between their current protest and the historic protests on campus, such as that of the 1968 civil rights and anti-Vietnam war protests. Protestors have overtaken Hamilton Hall, the site of the other protests, and renamed it “Hind’s Hall,” which was so-named for a Palestinian who died in the Israeli-Hamas war, which has been ongoing since October 2023.
University’s Response and Potential Expulsions
After weeks of disruption and public chaos, Columbia University ultimately handed down an ultimatum to students involved in the protracted occupation—students must leave campus or be expelled. University officials argue that the school gave student protestors ample time to peacefully stage a protest and represent their viewpoint.
Limited Campus Access
The school has also restricted access to a few entry points on campus to maintain order and public safety.
Continued Protests at Other Universities
On the other side of the country at UCLA, corresponding protests have continued to occur, with increased tensions and standoffs between camps of students alternatively supporting Israel or Palestine.
Government and International Responses
Political figures both within and outside the U.S. have weighed in on the prolonged unrest. The White House and other Congressional officials as well as the National Security Council have condemned the methods of obstruction as well as the anti-semitic undertones and sometimes outright overtones of the protests on campus. The United Nations has also expressed concern about how the universities have allowed the conflict to persist unchecked and how law enforcement has not been able to quell the escalation of tensions.
Arrests and Law Enforcement Actions
In some states and on some campuses such as in Texas and in California, law enforcement has intervened to arrest protestors who defy local laws and ordinances. These circumstances were singularly severe.
Impact on Academic Activities
On many other campuses, the actions of protest groups have obstructed and impeded campus life for the other students, disrupting the education the students paid for. In some cases campuses were closed, such as at Columbia, student graduations are in question, and other campus events have been canceled.
University and Student Negotiations
Some campuses have experienced a negotiated agreement between the administration and student protestors. Students do legally have a right to protest, and the ethos of a university setting is, in most cases, a proper institution to host peaceful demonstrations. However, the university must hold a firm balance to also provide the education and experience all students expect and a high level of public safety for all as well as protection for vulnerable students who are threatened by the protests, such as the student Jewish population in this case.
Legal and Academic Repercussions
In addition to law enforcement involvement with students contravening local law by obstructing access to private and public spaces, student protestors who cross a line are also subject to academic sanctions, including suspension and expulsion.
Diverse Reactions and Perspectives
There are a variety of responses from the media, politicians, and the public regarding the extent of the protests on college campuses. The discussions and repercussions around protests on campus will potentially outlast the negotiations for a ceasefire in the current conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Future of Campus Protests
College campuses are not new sites for protest, even protracted protests. Columbia’s protest is set to be the figurehead of the latest iteration of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 2024. How students respond to the threat of expulsion and academic consequences vis a vis potential legal consequences will inform the institutional response to campus conflict in the future.
