Israel-Hamas war protesters defy Columbia University's deadline to disband camp or face suspension

(29 Apr 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:


++SOUNDBITES PARTIALLY COVERED++

ASSOCIATED PRESS
New York - 29 April 2024
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Sueda Polat, student organizer:
"Earlier today, President Shafiq sent out an email announcing the end of negotiations and declared explicitly that the university will not divest from Israel."
2. Various of protesters at Columbia University
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sueda Polat, student organizer:
"The university has conducted itself with obstinacy and arrogance, refusing to be flexible on some of our most basic points. That said, we were engaging in good faith negotiations until the administration cut them off under threat of suspensions, where we asked for amnesty, they gave us more discipline."
4. Various of protesters at Columbia University
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sueda Polat, student organizer:
"We will not be moved by these intimidation tactics. You can see outside you now that the students are mobilized. There's hundreds of them here today. They will not be moved. We demand divestment. We will not be moved unless by force."
STORYLINE:
Colleges around the U.S. implored pro-Palestinian student protesters to clear out tent encampments with rising levels of urgency Monday, including an ultimatum from Columbia University for students to sign a form and leave the encampment by the afternoon or face suspension.

Columbia activists defied the 2 p.m. deadline with chants, clapping and drumming from the encampment of more than 300 people. No officials appeared to enter the encampment, with at least 120 tents staying up as the deadline passed.

The notice sent Monday by the Ivy League university in Manhattan to protesters in the encampment said that if they left by the deadline and signed a form committing to abide by university policies through June 2025 or an earlier graduation, they could finish the semester in good standing. If not, the letter said, they will be suspended, pending further investigation.

Early protests at Columbia, where demonstrators set up tents in the center of the campus, sparked pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the country. Students and others have been sparring over the Israel-Hamas war and its mounting death toll. Many students are demanding their universities cut financial ties with Israel. The number of arrests at campuses nationwide is approaching 1,000.

AP video by Ted Shaffrey

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[Maestraako]

Companies, you should hire them or they will rally against you, too

[christopherlauter]

How can anybody be pro Palestine? I remember in 1970 Yasir Arafat was on the news constantly because of Israel having their homeland back. It’s pretty clear in historic documents that jews have been in in Israel off and on for 2000 years. With that being said, how can you be pro Palestine when these terrorists came and killed so many teenagers and young adults at a music festival for no reason. I’m sorry I don’t have any empathy for the country run by terrorists. Let’s not forget who started this war. Now on the other hand, Israel and their government holds a stranglehold on Palestinians because they supply the Palestinians with everything they need and that needs to change. It seems like our world is going insane and America is the conduit of the insanity.

[davidstill]

Am I the only one who finds it odd that these protesters so vigorously protest against Israel for attacking Palestinian but where where they when Russia attacked Ukraine?
How and why have these students been so swayed to refute Israel, an American Ally but do not protest for Ukraine and against Russia a sworn enemy of the United States States?
How has the Republican party influenced these college students to this point if at all?

[leekasten]

Who the Hell does she think she is? Arrest her: charge her with making terrorist threats...

[erikamonterroso]

This terrorism should not be allowed on these campuses. Charge the chancellor for allowing y his to continue especially the threats towards Jewish students.