On the 56th anniversary of the violent clearing of the 1968 student occupation at Columbia University, hundreds of police officers moved into the Manhattan campus to disperse a current antiwar protest. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators were arrested as police entered the campus on lockdown and cleared Hamilton Hall, which had been occupied by protesters the night before. This incident stirred 24 hours of upheaval and discomfort on campus as students protesting the Israeli offensive in Gaza tried to force the university to divest from companies with ties to Israel, echoing tactics from the past such as occupying Hamilton Hall.
Tensions had been running high on Columbia’s campus for weeks over pro-Palestinian demonstrations, especially when Columbia University president Nemat Shafik went to Washington, D.C., to testify about antisemitism. A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators set up a tent encampment on the main quad, dubbing it the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, directly referencing the 1968 protests. The encampment was nonviolent, but police moved in to clear it. Subsequent protests and arrests led to new encampments forming on campus, with negotiations breaking down between the university and protesters, resulting in the occupation of Hamilton Hall.
The occupation of Hamilton Hall was organized by a faction of protesters after suspensions began for those who did not comply with clearing the encampment by an afternoon deadline. Protesters broke into the building, barricading themselves inside and unfurling a banner to honor a Palestinian girl killed in Gaza. The situation escalated further, with Mayor Eric Adams and top police officials believing that professional outside agitators were behind the takeover. Hundreds of police officers in riot gear entered the campus, arresting protesters and removing banners that hung on Hamilton Hall’s exterior.
Dr. Shafik expressed regret over the protesters’ escalation of the situation and emphasized that the safety of the community was paramount, leading to the decision to involve law enforcement. She claimed that individuals not affiliated with the university were the leaders of the group that occupied the building. With the approaching graduation ceremony, Dr. Shafik requested a police presence on campus until May 17 to prevent any further escalation by student protesters. The incident brought about strong reactions both on campus and in the broader community.
The swift police response to the protest was met with criticism from students and onlookers, with cries of “Shame on you” heard from dormitories above. Reports of police violence against students outside Hamilton Hall emerged but could not be immediately verified. The operation to clear the building concluded around 10 p.m. with protesters being loaded onto buses without resistance. Efforts were made to restore order and remove any remaining signs of the occupation from the building’s exterior. The aftermath of the incident left the campus community and administration grappling with the implications of the protests and the response by law enforcement.
Columbia’s history of student activism and protest was reignited by the recent events, echoing past movements against the Vietnam War and the university’s expansion plans into Harlem. The use of occupying campus buildings as a tactic to draw attention to causes and demands was seen both in 1968 and in the present day. The clash between protesters and the administration highlighted larger issues of freedom of speech, campus activism, and the role of law enforcement in responding to student demonstrations. This incident marked a flashpoint in ongoing discussions about social justice, political activism, and the role of universities in addressing global conflicts such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
