Columbia University has found itself at the center of a growing storm of controversy as student protests against the ongoing Israel-Hamas war intensify both on its own campus and at other schools across the country. The student demonstrations have been fueled by a recent decision by university leadership to have over 100 students arrested for their participation in pro-Palestine demonstrations on Friday.
Amidst mounting pressure from politicians on both sides of the aisle, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik is facing calls to resign as hundreds of students continue to occupy the center of campus in protest. The encampment, dubbed the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, was established last Wednesday, the same day Shafik testified before the House Education Committee on campus antisemitism.
Shafik’s order to arrest student protesters has only served to galvanize the demonstrations, which have now spread to numerous college campuses nationwide, including New York University, Yale University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The Biden administration has condemned the protests, calling them “unacceptable” and claiming they are encouraging “calls for violence.” New York City Mayor Eric Adams has also denounced the protests, while at least three Barnard College students have been suspended, reportedly for disrupting an event featuring Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Concerns have also been raised about the safety of Jewish students on campus, prompting Columbia to increase security measures starting Monday, hours before the Jewish holiday of Passover begins. Antisemitism has been on the rise both nationwide and internationally since Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israel, but a significant portion of the protesting students are Jewish, and protest groups have fought back against characterizations of their demonstrations as antisemitic. It is important to note that there have been no reports of violence from the protests.
In a statement issued on Sunday, protest leaders expressed frustration over media attention focusing on “inflammatory individuals who do not represent us.” They also condemned any form of hate or bigotry and emphasized the diverse backgrounds of the students involved in the demonstrations.
Lawmakers from both parties are demanding action from Shafik, with some calling for her resignation if she cannot rein in the protests. Rep. Elise Stefanik has accused Columbia of losing control of its campus and putting Jewish students’ safety at risk, while Sen. John Fetterman compared the protests to the violent white supremacist demonstrations in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. The Israeli government has also commented on the protests, expressing concern over anti-Israel sentiment on American campuses.
The Education Committee Chair, Virginia Foxx, has summoned Shafik to testify before her committee again over the “unacceptable” demonstrations. Foxx has warned that Columbia’s failure to restore order and safety on campus could jeopardize its federal funding.
The Israeli military operation in Gaza has become increasingly unpopular among Americans, and those critical of antiwar protests have repeatedly turned their attention to Ivy League college campuses. The presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and MIT joined Shafik in testifying before the Education Committee in December, sparking widespread backlash that eventually led to the resignation of two of the three university heads.
The Biden administration has generally joined in these criticisms, while also applying pressure on the Israeli government to slow its military advance in Gaza and allow more humanitarian aid into the territory. Six months since the onset of the conflict, a majority of Democrats believe the US should limit military aid to Israel, citing concerns over mass civilian casualties in Gaza and the need to protect human rights.
In response to the criticisms, Shafik expressed sadness over the campus protests but emphasized the need for respectful dialogue and compromise. She announced that university leaders will hold discussions with student protesters and faculty in the coming days in an attempt to de-escalate tensions on campus.
