Columbia University students have occupied Hamilton Hall on campus, demanding that the university divest all of its finances from companies profiting from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and occupation in Palestine. The protesters unfurled a banner saying “Free Palestine” and renamed the building Hind’s Hall, in memory of a six-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza. The university started suspending students who refused to leave the protest encampment by the deadline, leading to a standoff between the administration and the demonstrators.
As the deadline passed, some faculty members locked arms to protect the encampment, showing solidarity with the protesters. The Columbia administration offered to review student proposals and provide more transparency on investment holdings but refused to divest from Israel, leading to further tensions with the pro-Palestinian demonstrators. A federal class-action lawsuit was filed against Columbia by some students who claimed the university failed to protect them against antisemitism and harassment.
Students who remained at the encampment risked being suspended indefinitely, barred from completing the semester, and banned from campus facilities and housing. The protesters remained determined to stay until their demands were met, sparking a nationwide anti-war movement across U.S. colleges and universities. Students at Rutgers University also set up an encampment in response to the university’s refusal to divest from Israel, highlighting the growing activism on college campuses regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
While some students supported the protesters, others expressed concerns about antisemitism at the rallies. The university administration at Rutgers stated that the request for divestment from Israel was under review, with the school’s president expressing personal opposition to the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement. The ongoing protests at Columbia and Rutgers indicate a growing movement among students to push for divestment from companies profiting from the Israeli occupation of Palestine, sparking debates and tensions on college campuses nationwide.
