Hundreds of Columbia University and Barnard College students have occupied campus for days, protesting the Biden administration’s response to the Israel-Hamas war. The demonstrations, now in their sixth day, have drawn support from dozens of faculty members, some of whom joined the protests on Monday. The protests have sparked criticism from politicians, with Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) calling for university president Minouche Shafik to take action or step down. A group of Jewish Democrats also condemned the demonstrations as antisemitic at a press conference on Monday.
The criticism comes amid concerns over the safety of Jewish students at Columbia, with some accusing protesters of harassment. The university has increased security measures, including closing campus early on Monday, hours before the Jewish holiday of Passover begins. The Biden administration has also denounced the protests, calling them “unacceptable” and encouraging “calls for violence.” New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) has made similar statements.
However, protest groups have rejected characterizations of their demonstrations as antisemitic and have emphasized that a significant portion of the protesting students are Jewish. They have also criticized the media for focusing on “inflammatory individuals” who do not represent the majority of protesters.
In response to the criticisms, Shafik said she is “deeply saddened” by the campus protests and called for a “reset.” She acknowledged that tensions have been “exploited and amplified by individuals who are not affiliated with Columbia” and called for dialogue and compromise.
University leaders will hold discussions with student protesters and faculty in the coming days in an attempt to “deescalate” tensions on campus.
