How the Columbia protests sparked campus demonstrations across the country

The decision by Columbia University’s president, Nemat “Minouche” Shafik, to call in the New York Police Department to clear pro-Palestinian protesters from the campus last week appears to have sparked the spate of increasingly strident demonstrations that have erupted at universities in New York City and across the country in recent days, students and faculty members said.

Since Thursday, when police arrested 108 Columbia University demonstrators, including Rep. Ilhan Omar’s daughter, Isra Hirsi, similar protests have erupted on campuses across the country, from New York University and Yale University to the University of Illinois and out west to the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Southern California, which shut its gates late Wednesday because of the growing demonstrations.

The genesis of the protests traces back to April 17 when Columbia University President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik faced inquiries about on-campus anti-semitism during a hearing before the Republican-led House Committee on Education and the Workforce. 

The Columbia protests sparked a national dialogue on student activism and the role of universities in addressing societal issues. As demonstrations spread to campuses across the country, they highlighted the power of collective action and the importance of student voices in driving change. The protests also put pressure on university administrations to listen to student concerns and implement meaningful reforms. Ultimately, the legacy of the Columbia protests continues to influence student activism and shape the future of higher education.
read more
image source