On Monday afternoon, a large crowd gathered on Low Plaza at Columbia University as faculty members delivered speeches in solidarity with student protesters who were recently suspended and arrested. The faculty expressed their strong opposition to university president Minouche Shafik's decision to involve the New York Police Department in removing protesters from campus.
Faculty members held signs with messages such as “Hands off our students” and “End student suspensions now,” while some wore academic regalia and sashes that read, “We support students.” The speeches were met with enthusiastic cheers and applause from the crowd, along with chants calling for Shafik's resignation.
Professor Christopher Brown, speaking at the rally, described the events of Thursday, April 18, 2024, as a shameful day in Columbia's history. He criticized the president's decision to deploy riot police to handle peaceful protesters on campus, calling it unprecedented, unjustified, disproportionate, divisive, and dangerous.
US Rep. Ilhan Omar, whose daughter was among the arrested protesters, expressed her support for the faculty's demonstration but urged the focus to remain on the situation in Gaza. She highlighted that the student protests at Columbia have sparked a nationwide Gaza Solidarity movement and emphasized the importance of keeping attention on the ongoing issues in Gaza.
