Protesters defy deadline to leave Columbia encampment
Columbia University is currently the site of a continuing protest as demonstrators, supporting pro-Palestinian views, defy an official deadline to clear their encampment on the institution’s New York City campus. The school’s president, Manouche Shafik, has declared negotiations with the activists at a standstill. Shafik has communicated a clear ultimatum to the protestors, compelling them to leave voluntarily or face academic suspension. The core issue fueling the protest is the demand for Columbia University to divest from assets that back Israel's military operations. Despite the university’s refusal to divest, President Shafik proposed alternative measures such as investing in healthcare and education in Gaza and enhancing transparency regarding the university’s direct investment holdings. Student organizer Sueda Polat criticized these offers as insufficient, emphasizing the lack of commitment to binding decisions on divestment and pointing out the limited scope of financial disclosure proposed by the university. Protesters have articulated three main demands: divestment from assets supporting Israel's military, greater transparency in the university’s financial dealings, and amnesty for those who have faced discipline due to their involvement in the protests. They have vowed to maintain their presence at the encampment in solidarity with Gaza, challenging the university administration's attempt to urge dispersal through the threat of suspension. The situation escalated two weeks prior when university president Manouche Shafik requested the intervention of New York City police, leading to over 100 arrests. This action not only sparked immediate criticism from students, faculty, and external commentators but also inspired similar demonstrations at academic institutions across the United States and internationally. Mahmoud Khalil, the lead negotiator for Columbia University Apartheid Divest, emphasized the global resonance of their movement, framing the encampment as a symbol far beyond a mere violation of university regulations.