New York City, NY – Columbia University in New York City has made the decision to continue remote classes for the remainder of the term due to escalating tensions surrounding Gaza war protests that have impacted universities across the United States. The university’s move to hybrid learning comes as reports of antisemitic harassment on campus have surfaced.
Protests at New York University led to 133 arrests on Monday, mirroring similar demonstrations at Yale and restrictions at Harvard. The unrest has not been confined to the East Coast, as Midwest and West Coast universities have also seen demonstrations. At the University of Minnesota, nine students were arrested for attempting to set up a protest camp in front of a library.
In response to the protests, New York City police were called to NYU to disperse demonstrators after the university warned protesters to leave the premises. University officials accused protesters of breaching school barricades and exhibiting disruptive behavior. Despite claims of peaceful protest, tension remained high between protesters, law enforcement, and university administrators.
At Columbia University, an ongoing protest encampment was deemed a violation of campus rules, leading to concerns about disruption and intimidation. As a result, classes at the Ivy League institution’s main campus will continue remotely until the end of the term. University leadership emphasized the importance of safety as their top priority amidst the ongoing unrest.
President Joe Biden condemned both the antisemitic protests and those lacking understanding of the situation in Palestine, illustrating the complexity of the issues at hand. Amidst the protests, reports of hate crimes, tensions, and campus closures have added layers of complexity to an already intricate situation affecting higher education institutions nationwide.