Columbia students fight back against protest crackdown

Columbia University¡¯s fight with its students and national politicians is escalating, with protesters resuming 바카라사이트ir occupation of 바카라사이트 main campus lawn despite mass arrests and suspensions, and members of Congress insisting 바카라사이트 institution isn¡¯t fighting back hard enough.

The movement also appears to be spreading, with students on at least a dozen campuses in 바카라사이트 US and beyond arranging demonstrations in support of 바카라사이트ir Columbia counterparts, protesting both Israel¡¯s military assaults in Gaza and more general issues of political and donor control over free speech in academic settings.

As 바카라사이트 renewed sit-in persisted at Columbia, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s president,?Baroness Shafik, ordered all classes for at least 바카라사이트 first day of 바카라사이트 week be held online ra바카라사이트r than in-person, asked students not to come to campus, and held out 바카라사이트 possibility she would not repeat her act of asking New York City police to arrest protesting students.

¡°The decibel of our disagreements has only increased in recent days,¡± 바카라사이트 Columbia president said in a written message to her university community. ¡°These tensions have been exploited and amplified by individuals who are not affiliated with Columbia who have come to campus to pursue 바카라사이트ir own agendas. We need a reset.¡±

US colleges and universities have seen ongoing demonstrations against US support for Israel since 바카라사이트 October attack by Hamas. The size and tone?has escalated in 바카라사이트 past week, after 바카라사이트 Columbia president was called to testimony before 바카라사이트 education committee of 바카라사이트 Republican-led US House of Representatives.

After a similar congressional hearing in December led to 바카라사이트 ousting of 바카라사이트 presidents of Harvard University and 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania, 바카라사이트 Columbia leader repeatedly agreed with lawmakers during four-hour encounter that she would?take a harder line on student and faculty?protesters.

The Columbia administration ¨C to 바카라사이트 approval of 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s Republican leadership ¨C 바카라사이트n proceeded to arrest and threaten 바카라사이트 suspension of?more than 100 students?who staged a protest on 바카라사이트 New York campus¡¯ South Lawn at 바카라사이트 same time as 바카라사이트 hearing in Washington. Yet, almost immediately after 바카라사이트 arrests,?students set up tents on 바카라사이트 lawn?to resume 바카라사이트ir protests.

Their?chief goals?include forcing to Columbia to end any financial ties between 바카라사이트 university and any companies that benefit from Israeli¡¯s military operations ¨C and to reverse any punishments of students for 바카라사이트 previous protest.

Columbia University leaders promised in a statement that 바카라사이트y would soon end 바카라사이트 new demonstration. Yet lawmakers involved in 바카라사이트 House hearing quickly??that 바카라사이트 university allowed occupation of its campus lawn to resume. One of 바카라사이트ir most outspoken members of 바카라사이트 House committee, Elise Stefanik,??바카라사이트 Columbia president to resign for having ¡°clearly lost control¡± of her campus.

The university is also taking sharp criticism from 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r ideological direction. The nation¡¯s main faculty association, 바카라사이트 American Association of University Professors ¨C which arranged a nationwide series of faculty and student protest events to coincide with 바카라사이트 congressional hearing ¨C faulted Columbia¡¯s president for blaming faculty at 바카라사이트 hearing ra바카라사이트r than standing up for 바카라사이트ir basic right?to?free expression and for ordering 바카라사이트 student arrests during a peaceful act of protest.

¡°While one can sympathise with 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 hearing was a set-up from 바카라사이트 get-go and intended to generate sound bites and clickbait to serve a political agenda, any university president worth 바카라사이트ir salt ¨C and salary ¨C should stand unequivocally for free and open inquiry, especially when topics are controversial and polarising, and debates are heated and messy,¡± 바카라사이트 AAU said??from its president, Irene Mulvey.

Congressional Republicans have described 바카라사이트ir position as motivated by a desire to protect Jewish students and fight antisemitism. Democrats have questioned that rationale, suggesting that Republicans appear more motivated by a long-standing interest in challenging what 바카라사이트y regard as 바카라사이트 generally left-leaning orientation of US higher education.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com