3 weeks ago
CBS News Live
NEW YORK -- Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has fixed a deadline for pro-Palestinian protesters gathered connected field to scope an statement pinch schoolhouse administrators.
In a missive emailed retired to nan schoolhouse organization Tuesday night, Shafik said student organizers and a group of faculty, administrators and University Senators person been gathering to talk dismantling nan encampment connected nan school's field and dispersing nan demonstrators.
Shafik says, "Those talks are facing a deadline of midnight [Tuesday] to scope agreement. I very overmuch dream these discussions are successful. If they are not, we will person to see replacement options for clearing nan West Lawn and restoring calm to field truthful that students tin complete nan word and graduate."
The schoolhouse president cited information concerns, disruptions to field life and a tense "and astatine times hostile" situation for nan schoolhouse community.
Demonstrators stitchery extracurricular President Shafik's home
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators opportunity they want Columbia University to trim financial ties pinch Israel.
Some protesters who be Barnard College held a news convention Tuesday successful beforehand of Shafik's location to thrust location nan point.
"I speak during Passover to talk astir bravery of our people," a student named Soph said. "When I was marched retired of encampment successful zip ties, I didn't flinch. I can't stay complacent."
Three of nan students who were successful attendance are Jewish. They said they've been suspended indefinitely. Columbia has not released immoderate accusation connected disciplinary action.
"Our assemblage profits disconnected this. We want extremity until they divest," Sarah Borus added. "I've ne'er been much proud to beryllium Jewish than erstwhile I was arrested and taken disconnected campus."
Meanwhile, 2 members of nan encampment astatine Columbia said nan group is successful talks pinch nan university, and won't backmost down until its demands are met.
"We guidelines successful solidarity pinch Palestinians successful Gaza who are facing genocide," 1 said.
Students picture "disheartening" business connected Columbia campus
Chopper 2 flew complete Columbia's South Lawn early Tuesday morning, wherever pro-Palestinian demonstrators camped retired successful tents overnight. The demonstration started past Wednesday and is now successful its seventh day.
Columbia switched to distant learning Monday to deescalate tensions connected campus, as Jewish students person reported emotion unsafe, particularly during nan Passover holiday.
School officials opportunity each classes connected nan Morningside field will connection a hybrid action for nan remainder of nan semester, which ends Monday.
"Safety is our highest privilege arsenic we strive to support our students' learning and each nan required world operations," nan Office of nan Provost posted online. "It's captious that school and learning proceed during this time."
Campus entree has been restricted, and officers stay stationed extracurricular respective entrances. Students who opted to be in-person Tuesday said nan business is making it difficult to attraction connected their upcoming exams.
"It is beautiful disheartening to spot each this connected campus, I will say. I deliberation a batch of group are misguided. And astatine nan aforesaid time, I'm benignant of confused because, I mean, being present astatine Columbia, I mean I person truthful overmuch activity and I cognize a batch of these students do, arsenic well," inferior Michael D'Agostino said. "I person a part-time job, I wouldn't beryllium capable to beryllium successful this long, not making money and keeping up pinch my studies."
"It's evidently devastating to spot truthful galore students getting wounded and being arrested," sophomore Rony Yin added.
Others are emotion nan effect nan protests person had beyond campus.
"They person inspired a batch of different group to return much action aliases possibly alteration actions they've been taking to tie much attraction to nan business that's happening successful Palestine, successful Gaza," said Carla Reyes, a non-student protester.
Some protesters person joined nan calls for Shafik to resign, while others interest whoever replaces her would return much fierce action. In her latest connection to students and staff, nan president wrote, "Let's beryllium down and talk and reason and find ways to discuss connected solutions."
"I understand really important this is. Young group successful peculiar are energized by their beliefs, but we person to person respectful discourse. This has gone excessively far," Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
Mayor Eric Adams is applauding nan NYPD for its consequence and says students who protestation peacefully are not nan problem.
"We can't person extracurricular agitators travel successful and beryllium destructive to our city," he said.
Former politician Rudy Giuliani drove by Columbia connected Tuesday, putting successful his 2 cents to condemn nan demonstrators.
"I consciousness that we person declined to a authorities of absurdity erstwhile we person these ignorant group who are supporting killers," Giuliani said.
"I wish location was an easy answer"
The semester astatine Columbia, which galore person described arsenic heartbreaking, will travel to an extremity connected Monday.
"It's evidently devastating to spot truthful galore students getting wounded and being arrested," sophomore Ronny Yin said.
"I'm benignant of confused because, I mean being present astatine Columbia, I mean I person truthful overmuch work," inferior Michel D'Agostino said.
"I wish location was an easy reply and I consciousness for illustration it's truthful analyzable and, to beryllium honest, I consciousness heartbroken astir each of it," said Julia Dillon, who useful nearby.
"I was expected to beryllium successful Israel connected Oct. 10, performing a show, truthful my full life sewage sidetracked," Israeli-American rapper Rami Even-Esh said.
Even-Esh is not a student astatine Columbia, but he said he has been going location for period to archive nan protests.
When asked what nan biggest misunderstanding is correct now, Even-Esh said, "Two things could beryllium existent astatine 1 time. Like, I'm very pro-Israeli, aliases Israeli, and I besides person a batch of sympathy for Palestinian people. I person friends who mislaid a batch of family successful Gaza."
Columbia University has 1 of nan astir esteemed publicity schools successful nan country. CBS New York's Ali Bauman said to student journalists astatine nan schoolhouse newspaper, Columbia Spectator, astir attending classes while covering this ongoing situation.
"I deliberation it's been an intense, aggravated clip to beryllium a student connected this campus, to watch nan nation's leaders remark connected what's going connected arsenic we're surviving and going to classes successful our campus, said Esha Karam, managing editor of nan Columbia Spectator. "Who knows what's gonna travel adjacent successful position of, arsenic finals attack and besides arsenic commencement approaches. The assemblage is starting to group up commencement stands and worldly connected nan opposing section wherever protests primitively group up tents, and soon we'll spot what nan adjacent steps are successful position of preparing for those activities arsenic well."
Commencement is scheduled for May 15.
CBS New York has learned that Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to sojourn Columbia University to meet pinch Jewish students and clasp a property convention addressing antisemitism connected assemblage campuses.
- In:
- Israel
- Columbia University
- Morningside Heights
- Palestinians
