Columbia Students Rally at University Building, Display Banner Urging ‘Intifada

President Shafik shuts down campus ‘effective immediately,’ with only those who live in campus buildings allowed to enter

MANHATTAN—Student protesters at Columbia University stormed a campus building overnight, using a hammer to smash glass doors and tables and chairs to barricade the entrance. Once in control of the building, the protesters hoisted an “intifada” banner.

The takeover of Hamilton Hall came around 1 a.m. Student protesters marched through campus chanting “free Palestine” before moving to the hall. Masked individuals were filmed using hammers and other tools to open and then barricade a door to the hall. They also used tables, chairs, and a human chain to block entry to the building.

Front of Hamilton Hall—where students have blockaded doors with tables and smashed windows.

Also worth noting, the Columbia freshman dormitory is steps away—students have not be able to sleep or study for their finals coming up next week. pic.twitter.com/qnsh8Oqd8u

— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) April 30, 2024

Once inside, students hung flags and banners from the building, including one that called for “intifada,” a photo taken by the Washington Free Beacon shows. They chanted, “Settlers, settlers, go back home, Palestine is ours alone” and “Long live the intifada.”

Intifada banner out of Hamilton Hall @Columbia pic.twitter.com/ZLgrKJdbyE

— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) April 30, 2024

‘Settlers, settlers, go back home. Palestine is ours alone.” pic.twitter.com/R7aAQwGTFu

— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) April 30, 2024

3AM pic.twitter.com/0Af3td5dpS

— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) April 30, 2024

They also pushed, grabbed, and accosted some who attempted to impede the takeover or film the chaos, including a Free Beacon reporter. Police officers were not on the scene, though several students called for law enforcement.

“We will not move until Columbia meets every one of our demands,” the students said.

Columbria protestors grabbed and pushed me—won’t let me move pic.twitter.com/Z8vr1HmzaY

— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) April 30, 2024

‘We will not move until Columbia meets every one of our demands.” pic.twitter.com/eUQOqzRoLo

— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) April 30, 2024

Faculty members who flocked to the encampment Monday to support student protesters also remained overnight and were seen near Hamilton Hall. By 4 a.m., the original “Gaza Solidarity” encampment that has plagued the school for nearly a week was mostly deserted, with students moving tents to a different area.

Columbia faculty out in support for violent protesters. pic.twitter.com/W3svXgcuaz

— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) April 30, 2024

Main encampment is nearly empty—most protesters now occupy Hamilton Hall pic.twitter.com/pvBh1YTCGZ

— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) April 30, 2024

Day 14—Students @Columbia have expanded their encampment to a different part of campus pic.twitter.com/5JGBHLpVcl

— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) April 30, 2024

In an early morning statement, Columbia officials acknowledged that a “group of protestors occupied Hamilton Hall on the Morningside campus.” Shortly thereafter, Columbia president Minouche Shafik effectively shut down campus, with only those who live in residential buildings and “employees who provide essential services” allowed to enter.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a coalition of student groups behind the encampment protests, posted a statement to Instagram saying an “autonomous group of students has taken matters into their own hands.”

“They will remain in Hamilton until the university divests from death. The students are on the right side of history. We know that the university will remember them as anti-apartheid, anti-genocide activists with moral clarity.”

The student coalition went on to issue “an urgent call for mobilization,” calling on students to “join our picket happening outside the building” and “defend the original camp.” A subsequent post said Hamilton Hall “has now been liberated.”

The chaos came after Shafik began suspending students who ignored her 2 p.m. Monday deadline to “voluntarily disperse” from the encampment. Shafik set the deadline after announcing that days of negotiations between university officials and student protesters brought no results.

The students voted unanimously to remain in the encampment and wrote messages on letters the university delivered to them. “COLUMBIA WILL BURN,” one read. “I AINT READING ALL THAT FREE PALESTINE” read another. They also pledged to “escalate” their tactics.

Day 13 at the Columbia encampment—students have been given a 2pm deadline to vacate.

This is the response from a suspended student, Aidan Parisi

‘COLUMBIA WILL BURN”@FreeBeacon pic.twitter.com/Odbjr4l1yQ

— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) April 29, 2024

It’s unclear if the occupation of Hamilton Hall will push Shafik to bring police to campus. After Shafik’s 2 p.m. deadline passed on Monday, Columbia’s head of communications, Ben Chang, reiterated a Friday statement from Shafik that said bringing police to campus “at this time would be counterproductive.”