As pro-Hamas occupations rage on, many universities have lost complete control of their own campuses
As anti-Israel occupations have ramped up on campuses across the United States and while some institutions have taken swift action to prevent chaos, others have let protesters take over large areas of campus.
As anti-Israel occupations have ramped up on campuses across the United States, and while some institutions have taken swift action to prevent chaos, others have let protesters take over large areas of campus.
Here’s a look at colleges that have lost control of their campus:
Columbia University:
Anti-Israel protesters at Columbia University began their occupation of a portion of campus on April 17, just before administrators testified before Congress about campus anti-Semitism.
[RELATED: Hamas-endorsed Harvard protesters raise Palestinian flag where USA flag flies on campus]
In the days following the start of the anti-Israel occupation, Columbia administrators allowed over 100 police officers to enter campus and make over 100 arrests. Despite the arrests, protesters resumed their occupation a short time later.
As Campus Reform has reported, protesters Jewish students walking by the protest were yelled at and told to “Go back to Europe” and “go back to Poland.”
”You have no culture” and “All you do is colonize,” were yelled by protesters.
In one instance, protesters yelled in Arabic “Oh Hamas, oh loved one, hit/strike Tel Aviv,” video on social media showed.
One protester at Columbia held a sign reading “Al-Qasam’s next targets” with an arrow pointing to a group of individuals holding American flags.
Someone sent me this from Columbia tonight. Some Jewish students were holding Israeli and American flags so this girl stood in front of them with the below sign.
Al-Qasam is the Hamas military wing.
They are openly pro-Hamas and threatening fellow students. pic.twitter.com/Eo5BaA7h70— AG (@AGHamilton29) April 21, 2024
Khymani James, spokesperson of Columbia University Apartheid Divest and a leader of the encampment, was banned from campus on Friday night after the Daily Wire reported that the individual told administrators during a conduct hearing in January they should “Be grateful that I’m not just going out and murdering Zionists.”
A Columbia spokesperson declined to comment when asked by Campus Reform if James has been expelled.
Humboldt State University:
At California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, anti-Israel protesters have gone beyond occupying an area of campus, and have taken over entire buildings.
Videos on social media indicate that protesters have trashed a building, spray-painting anti-Israel graffiti all over the walls.
BREAKING: A look inside “Intifada Hall” at Cal Poly Humboldt. Students have “occupied and barricaded” two buildings and have encamped around them. pic.twitter.com/eFJxrDGADE
— Stu (@thestustustudio) April 27, 2024
The building was dubbed by protesters as “Intifada Hall.”
In another video, one protester could be seen hitting a police office over the head with a water jug while trying to enter a building.
Standoff between police and student anti-genocide protestors at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. pic.twitter.com/MdB1q10Ot8
— Robin Monotti (@robinmonotti) April 23, 2024
Humboldt State University administrators decided to close the campus through May 10, only letting individuals enter with permission.
George Washington University:
Students at George Washington University began their anti-Israel encampment on early Wednesday morning.
The university has made several threats to protesters regarding disciplinary actions and possible arrests, but as of Monday morning, they remain on campus.
A spokesman for George Washington University pointed Campus Reform to an April 29 statement from administrators which stated that encampment protesters near campus breached “the barriers used to secure GW’s University Yard.”
The 200 protesters then joined the encampment on George Washington University’s campus.
A picture on social media showed one sign outside the encampment that read “students will go back home when Israelis go back to Europe, US. (Their real homes).”
A sign at George Washington University (@GWtweets) reads: “Students will go back home when Israelis go back to Europe, US etc. (their real homes)” pic.twitter.com/iRI2fN74nO
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) April 27, 2024
Administrators wrote in a Monday statement that “The encampment on University Yard violates our clearly defined rules of conduct and behavior.”
”Further, the actions of some protestors have been highly offensive to many members of our community. The protest is jeopardizing our ability to meet the priorities of our university community, and the hateful language being displayed has no place on our campus,” the administrators wrote.
