Gaza Solidarity Encampment

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See also Wikipedia's article about "2024 Columbia University pro-Palestinian campus occupation".

The Gaza Solidarity Encampment of 2024 has been the most significant of the protests that have taken place on Columbia's Morningside campus to express support for Palestinians, condemn Israel's occupation of the Gaza strip, and demand the school's divestment from Israel following the Israel-Hamas war that started on October 7th, 2023. Starting on April 17th, 2024, this protest was special because it took the form of an encampment where students planned to stay in tents day and night on the eastern part of South Lawn until the school met their demands. The encampment was disrupted on April 18th when President Minouche Shafik authorized the NYPD to take action, but quickly was reestablished on the western part of the lawn. However, the protest escalated with the occupation of Hamilton Hall on the night between April 29 and April 30 and the NYPD was again called in the next night to clear both the encampment and the occupation.

Timeline

April 17: The Beginning

Around 4 AM

Approximately 50 tents were set up on East South Lawn. Protestors put up banners reading "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" and "Liberated Zone". A substantial NYPD presence was noted outside the university as soon as the encampment had been established.

Morning-Noon

Columbia President Minouche Shafik testified in the Congressional House of Representatives antisemitism probe. Her testimony, which sought to establish that she would be tougher on antisemitism (which was very broadly defined by members of the House as potentially including criticism of Israel) than it was perceived other Ivy League presidents had been, in retrospect set the tone for a harsh response on the protests that was later to take place.

Evening

The university begins handing out formal letters informing the students participating in the protest that if they do not stop immediately, they will be subject to sanctions up to and including suspension from the school.

April 18: First arrests and reestablishment of the encampment

In a letter, Shafik authorizes the NYPD to intervene. Starting at around 1PM, the NYPD's NYPD's Strategic Response Group enters the encampment and begins arresting protesters who refuse to leave. A group of Jewish counterprotesters congregated to celebrate the university's response, waving American and Israeli flags. A protest on 114th Street and Amsterdam Avenue formed, but was dispersed to allow buses with detained protesters to exit. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators recovered signage and repitched several tents. After many arrests, the lawn was cleared and obstacles were placed down by the university, presumably to prevent another encampment.

Protesters soon begin gathering on West South Lawn, continuing to chant in support of Palestine and waiving flag, but without setting up tents.

Most exterior campus gates are closed, and Public Safety Officers guard remaining entrances and restrict campus access to CUID holders. A similar practice was observed during earlier protests, but the number of open gates is now significantly lower.

In a press conference, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, alongside top New York Police Department officials, announces that police made more than 108 arrests during the sweep of the encampment.

At around 7:30 PM, the Student Affairs Committee sends out an email to all students, condemning the university's decision to bring police onto campus.

April 19

Protesters remained on West South Lawn.

At around 1:30 PM, University Senator Jalaj Mehta sent out an email "In collaboration with several Columbia University Student Senators" to all students, condemning the university's decision to bring police onto campus.

At around 5:45 PM, Assistant Director of Student Engagement Julia Dooley announced the cancellation of the Activities Fair scheduled for Sunday, April 21st as part of the annual Days on Campus event.

Later that day, Columbia begins issuing formal notices of interim suspension to students having participated in the encampment.

April 20-28: Negotiations

Negotiations with the administration took place over potential divestment or actions that could be taken in lieu of it.

April 29: Occupation of Hamilton

Shafik announced that negotiations failed. That night, students occupied Hamilton Hall, in a major escalation of the protests, renaming it "Hind's Hall" after a Palestinian girl who had been killed in the Gaza war. They barricaded the doors of the hall and unfurled banners that hung from the building. A second encampment was also established on Lewisohn Lawn.

April 30: Police clear the protests

Hamilton remained occupied during the day. A protester displayed a Palestinian flag to crowds on Amsterdam Avenue below, as those not living on campus had been locked out. They also used a pulley system to bring in food.

During this time, the university closed access to campus to those who did not live in the university dorms that were only accessible from it or who were essential workers.

By night, the university authorized NYPD to come back to campus. The police cleared Hamilton, entering both by making their way through the barricaded front door and using a truck equipped with a ladder to enter through an upper story window on Amsterdam. There were reports of violent acts committed during the clearance, including throwing one protester down a set of stairs and firing a gun.

The police also removed the encampment. Many students were arrested during these actions, and some non-students were found among their ranks.

It is difficult to confirm everything that took place during the actions as bystanders on campus, including media, were confined inside buildings for hours during the police action. The police later released their own video of the action.

Reaction and effects

In the immediate aftermath of the protests, the police and other actors made claims that outsiders were involved in their planning and execution that were hotly debated. The police also made some widely-ridiculed claims about supposedly nefarious objects they had found inside Hamilton, including a chain (which turned out to be from a bike lock sold by the university itself) and a copy of "A Very Short Introduction to Terrorism," which a police spokesperson appeared to believe was an instruction manual.

More broadly, the Columbia Gaza protests garnered significant national attention. They led to major politicians arriving on campus to engage with protesters or condemn them, including the Speaker of the House, who gave a speech on the Low Steps. The police clearances of the protests also garnered significant national media attention. There has been significant controversy and comparisons to the legendary 1968 protests, which similarly ended with forceful police action. There is ongoing debate over whether the protests and police action will have an impact on Columbia's reputation, and what it might be.

The Columbia protests were among the first such actions on a university campus to garner such attention and similar themes involving the establishment of encampments, building occupations, and police action have characterized Gaza protests across the country and even world.

Sources

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