Just weeks after police stormed a student-led occupation at Columbia University, a cohort of protesters set up a new camp on the same lawn Friday during an alumni reunion, calling on college graduates to withhold donations until Columbia divests from Israel.
Security guards stormed the nascent encampment shortly after tents went up, as protesters chanted “Shame, shame,” according to a video shared on Instagram by the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. Students were instructed to sit in the tents, making them harder to remove.
About 10 tents were set up overall, according to the student newspaper the Columbia Spectator. Students unfurled banners saying “@alumni, NO DONATIONS ’til DIVESTMENT” and “LIBERATED ZONE,” according to photos shared by the student group.
Columbia’s campus remained locked down to the public Friday evening. Barnard and Teachers College students continue to be blocked from the campus without special permission.
Organizers called the encampment a “Revolt for Rafah: Installation One” and cited Columbia’s efforts to raise funds from alumni as the cause for their action.
“We are aware of the encampment erected this evening and are monitoring the situation,” said a Columbia spokesperson. “We remain committed to hosting a successful weekend for our alumni.”
