The Takeover: Protest Groups Occupy Columbia Campus for Israel Divestmen
Student activists and outside protesters have seized the steps of Columbia University’s Low Memorial Library, vowing to halt campus operations until the school divests from Israel.
The campus of Columbia University is facing a new wave of unrest as students and non-student activists have reportedly "taken over the steps" of the iconic Low Memorial Library. The occupation, organized by the Columbia chapters of the Sunrise Movement, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), and the Palestinian Solidarity Committee (PSC), marks a significant escalation in the ongoing campaign to force the university to divest from Israel. The protesters have set up a new base of operations on the central steps, a symbolic heart of the campus.
Organizers have issued a stern warning to the university administration, stating that there will be "no more business as usual" until their demands are met. In a joint statement released on social media, the groups declared, "This is just the beginning," suggesting that the occupation of the library steps is merely the first phase of a broader plan to disrupt campus activities and graduation ceremonies. The groups are demanding that the university provide full transparency regarding its endowment and immediately withdraw all investments from companies linked to the Israeli military.
The university administration has been placed in a difficult position, as previous attempts to clear campus encampments have led to high-profile arrests and further radicalized the student body. Campus security and local law enforcement are reportedly monitoring the situation, but no immediate move has been made to clear the steps. The presence of non-students among the protesters has also raised security concerns, as the university has previously attempted to restrict campus access to ID holders only.
This latest occupation mirrors similar protests occurring across the Ivy League, where students are using increasingly aggressive tactics to influence university financial policies. As final exams and commencement events approach, the "takeover" of Low Memorial Library threatens to derail the end of the academic year. The protesters remain defiant, claiming that their presence on the steps is a necessary response to the ongoing war and the university's alleged complicity in the fighting.