Columbia University Protests Evoke Condemnation and Threats of National Guard
Columbia University’s handling of student-led pro-Palestine demonstrations has ignited widespread condemnation from progressive figures, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The university’s decision to call in the NYPD to disperse the encampment zone on campus has been met with fierce criticism, with Ocasio-Cortez describing it as “an escalatory, reckless, and dangerous act” that puts people’s lives at risk.
In response to the demonstration, Columbia University temporarily shifted to remote classes and offered a hybrid option for the remainder of the semester. However, protesters claim that the university has threatened to bring in the National Guard to quash the protest. The university’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine has reported that Columbia University Apartheid Divest negotiators have been threatened with both NYPD and National Guard intervention if they do not concede to the university’s demands.
The potential use of the National Guard has drawn sharp criticism from left-wing lawmakers, who have praised the protests and called for freedom of expression to be protected. Rep. Jamaal Bowman emphasized the importance of not caving to pressure to suppress dissent, while Rep. Rashida Tlaib highlighted the students’ constitutional right to protest against human rights abuses.
The controversy has sparked debate about the appropriate use of force on college campuses and the rights of students to express their views. Critics have drawn parallels to the Kent State killings, where four anti-war student protesters were fatally shot by Ohio National Guardsmen in 1970. They argue that deploying the National Guard to quell campus protests would be a dangerous escalation.
Despite the threats, students have vowed to continue their demonstrations. The protests have gained national attention and ignited a nationwide Gaza Solidarity movement, according to Rep. Ilhan Omar. While opponents of the protests welcome the potential intervention of the National Guard, it remains to be seen how the university and authorities will respond to the ongoing student activism.
