Anti-Israel Protestors Occupy Historic Building at Columbia University

In a significant escalation of their protest, pro-Palestinian student demonstrators at Columbia University took over a campus building (Hamilton Hall) early Tuesday morning. The building they occupied holds a special historical significance as it was also used by students advocating for racial justice in the 1960s, sparking demonstrations worldwide.

"We will not leave until Columbia meets every one of our demands," shouted one student from a balcony window, highlighting their commitment to their cause. The demands include university divestment from Israel, disclosure of Columbia investments, and protections for protesters. Reports indicate that about a dozen students, accompanied by two janitors, were inside the building during the occupation. However, the janitors left shortly after the students entered, leaving the protesters inside.

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The breach occurred around 12:30 a.m., just a day after the university suspended students who had been part of the so-called Gaza Solidarity Encampment for nearly two weeks. This encampment, located near Hamilton Hall, served as a focal point for the ongoing protests.

Outside the occupied building, hundreds of students formed a human chain, echoing the spirit of civil rights and anti-war demonstrations that took place in the same location in 1968. Despite the large gathering, neither the New York Police Department nor university public safety personnel intervened directly.

“Intifada” sign displayed at the building's facade

The protesters made their message clear by unfurling a banner from a balcony window, renaming the building "Hind's Hall" in honor of a 6-year-old child who lost her life in Gaza City during an Israeli bombardment. Additionally, a sign bearing the word "intifada," meaning uprising in Arabic, was hung from a section of the building facade.

"This escalation is in line with the historical student movements of 1968, 1985, and 1996, which Columbia repressed then and celebrates today," stated Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the group spearheading the protest, in an Instagram post.

During the occupation, the students barricaded the building's doors with chairs, and at least one window was broken in the process. University staff members inside the building at the time described a tense situation, with one staff member reporting a minor scuffle with some of the protesters. On Monday, classes were held at Hamilton Hall.

As the occupation continues, tensions remain high on campus, with both sides entrenched in their positions. The actions of the pro-Palestinian student demonstrators have drawn attention not only to their cause but also to the broader history of student activism at Columbia University.