Protests at Columbia and other schools escalate

A pro-Palestinian student organization at Harvard University was suspended for allegedly violating school policies amid protests on college campuses across the country, according to the student group and a source with knowledge of the suspension.

Harvard’s Palestine Solidarity Committee was suspended for cohosting events with non-recognized organizations, the source said.

The organization posted about the suspension on its social media pages Monday. 

“You can suspend our organization and threaten our students. But you will never silence our calls for divestment from apartheid, occupation & genocide,” a slide in the multi-photo post on X and Instagram read. “We call on the Harvard community to fight against repression and join the movement for Palestinian liberation.” 

A statement sent to CNN Monday by university spokesperson Holly J. Jensen said Harvard works closely with recognized student organizations to make sure they are following policies in the Student Organization Resource Guide. 

“The College is committed to applying all policies in a content-neutral manner and in close partnership with our student organizations. All student organizations are required to participate annually in training on these policies, and any organization found in violation of the policy is subject to corrective action,” the statement read.

Some New York University students and faculty members were arrested during protests on the campus of New York University Monday night, the New York Police Department confirmed to CNN.

NYU asked the NYPD to come on campus and “enforce the law,” according to a spokeswoman at the NYPD, though the spokeswoman would not confirm how many people had been arrested.

CNN has reached out to NYU for comment.

Earlier Monday afternoon, the school said some protesters had breached a barricade at Gould Plaza on school property, interfering with the safety and security on campus.

“Following a breach in the barriers set up at Gould Plaza, Fountain Walker, head of NYU Global Campus Safety, just delivered the following message to those congregating on the plaza: 'The one safety requirement we made was that no additional protesters could enter Gould Plaza...,'” the school posted Monday afternoon around 3:30 pm ET.

"With the breach of the barricades early this afternoon, that requirement was violated, and we witnessed disorderly, disruptive, and antagonizing behavior that has interfered with the safety and security of our community,” the university said in another post. "We cannot tolerate people getting hurt...”

Classes at Columbia University’s main campus will remain hybrid until the end of the semester amid ongoing protests, Provost Angela V. Olinto said late Monday.

All courses on the Morningside main campus will be hybrid, “classroom technology permitting,” the updated guidelines posted online said.

The last day of classes is April 29, according to the university’s academic calendar. 

“Faculty in other classrooms or teaching spaces that do not have capabilities for offering hybrid options should hold classes remotely if there are student requests for virtual participation,” the guidelines detail. “If the class does not permit adapting to the remote offering format, we encourage faculty to provide other accommodations liberally to students who have requested support for virtual learning this week.”

Arts/practice-based programs will be in person with “generous accommodations supported by school deans and staff,” the guidelines said.

The Medical Center and Manhattanville classes will also be in person, but school officials will grant accommodations “based on religious reasons, or approved disability accommodations.”

“Safety is our highest priority as we strive to support our students’ learning and all the required academic operations,” Olinto said in the post. “It’s vital that teaching and learning continue during this time.”

New York University asked the New York Police Department to intervene during protests Monday night after intimidating chants and several antisemitic incidents were reported, the school said in a statement to CNN.

An initial protest of about 50 people began Monday morning on Gould Plaza on campus, NYU spokesman John Beckman said in the statement.

“This occurred without notice to the University, and without authorization,” the school said. “The University closed access to the plaza, put barriers in place, and made clear that we were not going to allow additional protesters to join because the protests were already considerably disruptive of classes and other operations in schools around the plaza.”

"Nonetheless we made no move to clear the plaza at that point because high among the University's aims was to avoid any escalation or violence,” the school said. “So, the University was deeply disturbed when, early this afternoon, additional protesters, many of whom we believe were not affiliated with NYU, suddenly breached the barriers that had been put in place at the north side of the plaza and joined the others already on the plaza. This breach was in violation of directions from Campus Safety Officers and in violation of multiple University rules.”

“This development dramatically changed the situation,” the school said. “We witnessed disorderly, disruptive, and antagonizing behavior that has interfered with the safety and security of our community, and that demonstrated how quickly a demonstration can get out of control or people can get hurt. At one point, we explained to the protesters that they needed to disband in an hour, and there would be no adverse consequences.”

“Nevertheless, many refused to leave. We also learned that there were intimidating chants and several antisemitic incidents reported. Given the foregoing and the safety issues raised by the breach, we asked for assistance from the NYPD. The police urged those on the plaza to leave peacefully, but ultimately made a number of arrests.” 

“We will continue to support individuals’ right to freedom of expression, and, as we have said since October, the safety of our students and maintaining an equitable learning environment remain paramount.”

Columbia University members of the America Association of University Professors (AAUP) are expected to introduce a Resolution of Censure against Columbia President Minouche Shafik and other university officials for allegedly violating "the fundamental requirements of academic freedom...and her unprecedented assault on students’ rights,” according to the student-run campus news outlets Columbia Spectator and Bwog. 

According to Bwog, the resolution submitted Monday states that Shafik “ignored the opinions of the faculty and students on the Senate Executive Committee who unanimously rejected her request to summon armed New York City police onto our campus" and “falsely claimed" the students arrested posed a “clear and present danger to the substantial functioning of the University.” 

Along with Shafik, the general counsel, the chief operating officer, and the co-chairs of the board of trustees to the University Senate for review were also included in the resolution, Bwog reports. 

According to the largely symbolic resolution obtained by the outlets, it says that on April 17, Shafik testified before Congress that she was willing to fire and investigate faculty for alleged Title IX violations, which is a violation of “the norms, practices, policies, and protections upon which a university is founded.” 

The AAUP is calling for the censure of President Shafik — not her resignation — and a “recommitment to our core values on the part of our President, her administration, and the Board of Trustees.” 

David Lurie, president of the Barnard and Columbia chapter of AAUP and professor of Asian Humanities spoke to The Spectator, saying: “We want to be really clear that we are not calling for her resignation at this time." 

“We want to work with her. We want her and her administration to turn back from the road that they’ve started down last week,” Lurie said.

A Columbia University spokesperson issued a statement to the New York Times on the matter that read: “President Shafik is focused on de-escalating the rancor on Columbia’s campus. She is working across campus with members of the faculty, administration, and board of trustees, and with state, city, and community leaders, and appreciates their support.”   

CNN has reached out to a university spokesperson for comment and AAUP for additional information.  

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik is under pressure from all sides. Some faculty members are slamming her decision to call in the NYPD last week to disperse a pro-Palestinian protest, even as others are demanding she invite police back to clear a revived encampment of protesters.

House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik and fellow New York Republicans wrote a letter to Shafik on Monday blaming her for the situation on campus and urging her to step down after less than a year at the helm of the prestigious university.

“Over the past few days, anarchy has engulfed the campus of Columbia University,” the lawmakers wrote.

Some Jewish students told CNN they don’t feel safe on campus at Columbia now.

“The campus has been an absolute disaster over the last couple of days. Jewish students are extremely scared and extremely frightened,” Jacob Schmeltz, a senior at Columbia, told CNN on Monday.

Schmeltz, vice president of the Jewish on Campus Student Union, said he decided to stay with family in New Jersey instead of celebrating Passover on campus as he has done at times in previous years.

“Jewish students have had enough and it’s gotten to the point that we feel safer off campus than on it,” he said.

Organizers of the campus protest – Columbia University Apartheid Divest and Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine – said in a statement, “We have been peaceful,” and distanced themselves from non-student protesters who have gathered outside the campus, calling them “inflammatory individuals who do not represent us.”

“We firmly reject any form of hate or bigotry and stand vigilant against non-students attempting to disrupt the solidarity being forged among students – Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, Black and pro-Palestinian classmates and colleagues who represent the full diversity of our country,” the statement continued.