Columbia faculty walk out in protest of university president Shafik, demand amnesty for pro-Hamas students
'I fully believe that the students should be amnestied entirely. I don’t think they should have been arrested.'
Faculty members at Columbia University walked out in support of the ongoing pro-Palestinian encampment, citing the need to stand with Palestine.
In a video recorded by Campus Reform hundreds of faculty and staff at Columbia University were seen entering campus for a solidarity protest held near the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” on Monday.
One professor was recorded while walking through the checkpoint on campus, stating: “I support people who study, and who want to build peace,” and, “I’m here to teach, I’m here to teach. I teach readings, we discuss, it is what human beings have done since we learned how to speak.”
David Lurie, president of the Barnard and Columbia chapter of AAUP, spoke to the crowd once inside the rally, reading from a declaration released from a “meeting of mass emergency of the faculty.”
He stated: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms, the administration’s suspension of students engaged in people protests and their arrests by the New York City Police Department.”
“We demand that all Barnard College and Columbia University suspensions and charges be dismissed immediately and expunged,” said Lurie.
One anonymous professor who spoke to Campus Reform stated: “As far as I can determine, the occupation of that lawn, intense, was harmless and certain the chief of police said that there is no clear and present danger here, and this is just a peaceful protest. WTF are we doing here.”
She continued: “I think it is appalling that the president just unilaterally called the police in, I think, I’m sure she is in on a hard spot because of these congressional hearings, but those congressional hearings are the most shameful thing I have ever seen because I was too young to appreciate the McCarthy trials. Or, not born actually, but that is what it is like, it is just odious and hideous.”
She also stated: “I fully believe that the students should be amnestied entirely. I don’t think they should have been arrested. I think their suspension records should be erased, and I think they should be welcomed back onto campus.”
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Speaking on how the encampment is occupying a large area where Columbia’s graduation ceremony is supposed to be held, she said: “I mean they can’t have graduation with that there, because that is all seating, that is all where the parents sit. So they can’t.”
Columbia’s Students for Justice in Palestine also posted videos on Instagram which show how the faculty walkout entered inside of Barnard College once the protest outside concluded, outside of Columbia President Shafik’s office.
Professors and faculty were seen gathering inside and chanting: “No suspensions now!”
Campus Reform has contacted Columbia for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
