Columbia University students protest for release of detained activists

Columbia University became the backdrop for a powerful demonstration on Monday, as approximately two dozen students and alumni gathered at the campus gates to protest the detainment of pro-Palestinian student activists. This action comes in response to the recent arrests of Mohsen Mahdawi and Mahnoud Khalil, both members of Columbia’s Palestinian Student Union, who have been vocal advocates against Israel's actions in Gaza.

The protest was organized by the Columbia Palestine Solidarity Coalition, Jewish Voice for Peace, and Columbia University Alumni for Palestine. Participants locked themselves to the gates using bike chains, symbolizing their commitment to the cause and their demand for justice. They also attached cards bearing the names of Palestinian victims, reading aloud the names and ages of children killed in the ongoing conflict, thereby highlighting the human cost of the situation.

The protest is significant as it seeks to expose what organizers describe as Columbia University’s complicity in Israel's assault on Gaza and to resist the repression of Palestinian voices within academic institutions. Demonstrators called for the immediate release of Mahdawi and Khalil, as well as financial transparency from the university. They also demanded that Columbia be designated a sanctuary campus and that all campus gates be permanently reopened.

These gates have remained locked since October 2023, following anticipated protests against Israel's military actions, which have restricted public access and limited entry to those with valid Columbia IDs. This ongoing situation has fostered perceptions of separation between the university and the surrounding Harlem community, a historically significant area for Black culture and politics.

Columbia Public Safety and NYPD officers monitored the protest closely, warning participants that chaining themselves to university property could lead to arrest. Following the demonstration, at least one protester was taken into custody after the chains were removed.

This protest marks the second instance this semester of students chaining themselves to campus gates in opposition to the targeting of pro-Palestinian activists by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Earlier this month, Khalil criticized the university's handling of the situation, accusing it of complicity in the arrests and of ignoring the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

As the situation evolves, the voices of these activists continue to resonate, emphasizing the urgent need for dialogue and action regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.