Pro-Palestinian activists gathered at Columbia University on Monday, marking the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Demonstrators chanted slogans like "Resistance is glorious!" while concerns about campus safety elevated amid heightened tensions, Breitbart reported.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists assembled at Columbia University on Monday to commemorate the anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7. The demonstrators, many holding banners and chanting phrases like "Resistance is glorious! We will be victorious!" rallied in support of Palestinian resistance, sparking controversy due to the nature of their slogans.
One of the banners displayed at the event read: "We Will Honor All Our Martyrs," a phrase commonly used by terrorist groups to reference individuals killed in acts of violence, including suicide bombers and militants killed in combat with Israel. The rally participants varied in affiliation, making it unclear how many were Columbia students versus individuals from outside the campus.
The gathering at Columbia was part of a more extensive set of demonstrations across New York City, organized in opposition to Israeli actions in Gaza.
As reported by Breitbart News, students from multiple universities had planned to walk out of classes that day. At Columbia, this walkout coincided with an ongoing vigil where pro-Palestinian demonstrators read aloud the names of over 50,000 Palestinians reportedly killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.
While the pro-Palestinian demonstrators occupied Low Plaza, a counter-protest also occurred nearby. Dozens of pro-Israel protesters stood in silence, holding Israeli and American flags and displaying images of hostages taken during the Hamas attacks.
The tensions at Columbia have not gone unnoticed by university officials. Interim University President Katrina Armstrong sent a campus-wide email the day before the walkout, announcing additional security measures in response to concerns about potential violence.
The Columbia Daily Spectator reported that the walkout raised concerns among university administrators, as it was not organized through the formal channels required by the Guidelines to the Rules of University Conduct.
Within Our Lifetime, a Palestinian-led activist organization in New York City played a prominent role in organizing the demonstrations. The group, which has collaborated with pro-Palestinian student organizations on Columbia's campus, posted on social media ahead of the event, urging supporters to call out of work or school to join the protests. Their message, posted on X on Oct. 2, called for solidarity with Gaza and "uplifting the Palestinian people resisting genocide by any means necessary since 1948."
The reference to 1948 highlights the ongoing tensions between Israel and Palestinian Arabs, stemming from the creation of the state of Israel after the United Nations decided to partition the British Mandate. Palestinian opposition to this move has been central to the conflict, with several Arab states invading Israel shortly after its independence.
Columbia University has been a focal point of some of the most charged and violent protests related to the Israel-Palestinian conflict in recent months. Several university administrators, including the former president, resigned amid growing criticism of how the demonstrations were handled and the broader campus climate.