Protests against the Israeli attack on Gaza have continued for months and the protesters built an encampment of the Columbia University campus. The encampment was forcibly removed by the New York City Police Department after the president of the university, Nemat (Minouche) Shafik, asked them to enter the campus which is private property. Over 100 student protesters were arrested. The resulting outrage among faculty and students has resonated nationwide. The encampment was set up again the next day.
April 21, 2024:
April 21, 2024: the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” on the lawn in front of Butler LibraryApril 21: the main gate to the campus was locked and access to campus was restricted to Columbia ID holders. The blue and white balloons are the colors of Columbia and had been put up for Alumni Day at one of the schools.Behind the locked campus gates, students chanted slogans and beat drums while cheered by spectators on the sidewalk behind police lines.Student protesters behind the locked gatesDirectly opposite the students behind the gates, demonstrators gathered behind police barricades and joined the chants. These were not students and they were barred from entering the campus.The encampment, with students preparing to eat sandwiches and spend the nightStudents studying and settling into their tents for the night. The tent on the left belonged to some of the Jews For Palestine group.In the encampment, many students wore keffiyehs as symbols of the Palestinians whether or not they themselves were Palestinian. Most covered their faces and did not want to be photographed in order not to be identified and harassed on social media.
April 26, 2024:
April 26: A pro-Israel demonstration demanding release of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza was held on the Columbia campus in front of Low Library (rear) where preparations are underway for the college graduation. April 26: Volunteer faculty monitors in the encampment formed a de-escalation team to prevent incidents of harassment from anyone inside or outside the protest. Multiple faculty members had gathered on the steps of Low Library, many in their academic gowns, to protest the actions of the president in inviting the police on to campus.At the “People’s Library for Liberated Learning,” protesters can borrow books or attend “learnings.”The busy schedule inside the encampment includes assemblies, Muslim prayer, and Jewish Shabbat services. During the last assembly the student negotiating team reports to the group about its daily talks with the Columbia administration. Muslim prayer, facing Low LibraryDonations of food and supplies flooded the encampment in the days after the arrests. This table features kosher food for Passover while the one next to it has halal food. A Passover Seder was held on the encampment with Jews and Muslims participating.The public is barred from the campus with strict security measures.A campus gateMany students came to campus in their graduation robes to take pictures in front of campus landmarks. Their graduation ceremony is scheduled for June 15 on the steps of the library opposite the encampment, which is occupying space needed for seating. No one knows whether the protesters will leave in time for graduation. These students graduated from high school four years ago during Covid and could not attend their own graduations then.
DeborahShapiroPhotos 