Columbia University Protests & Increased Security: New School Year Begins Amid Tensions

Columbia University students began the school year with fresh protests and increased security just outside their famous New York City Campus last term the ivy league College saw some of the largest and tensest campus demonstrations in the US as students protested against Israel's military operation in Gaza on Tuesday the first day of term all eyes were on the demonstrators who gathered at the school gates to see whether they would reflect the scale of the earlier protests police said there were at least two arrests on Tuesday but characterized the Gatherings as peaceful Pro Palestinian protesters many of their faces covered in traditional cafer scarves could be heard several blocks from the site of the demonstration on Tuesday morning they chanted free Palestine as they banged on drums and marched in circles outside Columbia University's famous iron gates on the other side of metal barricades students and staff watched the demonstration as they queued up to have their identification thoroughly checked before they could enter campus inside the biggest disruption occurred around noon on Tuesday according to CBS News the BBC's us partner the alma Mar statue outside low Memorial Library was doused with red paint allegedly by protesters the area was reportedly blocked off as a crew worked to clean the statue Colombia's previous Academic Year concluded with the New York Police Department raiding a pro Palestinian encampment that had taken over the campus quad student protesters then briefly occupied an academic building that police ultimately cleared leading to more than 100 arrests the school cancelled its main graduation and the student body left for the summer under a cloud of deep unease last month Min shafik who served as Colombia's president during the encampment and permitted the police raid resigned on Tuesday the pro Palestinian protesters asked the returning students to remember why they had demonstrated during the last Academic Year we ask that you put aside your excitement for a new school year and remember the Palestinians who died by our very dollars read a flyer that the protesters distributed multiple protesters declined the BBC's interview requests on Tuesday and participants were generally unwilling to speak to the Press by midaf afternoon the pro Palestinian demonstration concluded though protesters chanted we'll be back most students on Tuesday appeared unfazed by the demonstrators several excitedly greeted each other hugging after a summer apart two students maneuvered a flat screen television through protesters and metal security barriers Stephanie Lee a 28-year-old graduate student studying business said she expected there to be protests but she felt okay on her first day on campus security is pretty good she added Rachel black a freshman from North Carolina said that she saw the protests as a welcome part of her overall experience at Colombia University I'm interested in becoming more educated she said I'm hoping to learn what the conflict is about Columbia University spokesperson Samantha Slater did not acknowledge the protests in a statement provided to BBC News as we begin the new semester we are focused on our mission of teaching creating and advancing knowledge and ensuring a safe respectful campus environment for our community multiple protests and counter-protests have been staged at Colombia University since hamas's attack in Israel on 7th October 20 23 the attack left about 1,200 people dead while 251 people were taken hostage about 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza according to the territories Hamas run Health Ministry since Israel began a retaliatory military campaign that has drawn International criticism on Sunday Israel announced it had recovered the bodies of six of the hostages who were taken to Gaza among the them was 23-year-old Israeli American HS Goldberg Poland whose parents waged a public campaign calling for his release David leer a 22-year-old junior at Columbia University held a small counter-protest along with a fellow Jewish student outside the university Gates on Tuesday his friend held a photo of Goldberg Poland and the two unfilled a large Banner that read Get support for terrorism off our campus Mr lerer who was sworn out by one passerby is one of several pro-israel Jewish students who have expressed concern about anti-Semitism on campus they said the pro Palestinian groups had not sufficiently condemned the 7th October attack or its perpetrators to be anti-war is one thing but to be Pro a terrorist organization is another and that has no place at Colombia Mr Lera said subscribe to our channel for more updates