The Gaza-Solidarity encampment at Columbia University has garnered national attention and support across the city.
On Sunday, protesters at The New School in Greenwich Village established their own encampment zone inside the University Center, which is now attracting dozens of students during the day and where about 20 students spend the night in tents. It has so far remained peaceful. Students set up a learning hub filled with books and pamphlets with their demands. They also have a table filled with snacks, hot drinks and meals, and a toiletry station with deodorant and soap — all items donated by other students.
“We’re feeling very driven. We know what we’re fighting for, and that’s for Gaza right now,” said JM, communication chair for the Students for Justice in Palestine, who asked to be identified by her initials. She added that the university has not opted to negotiate with student protesters.
New York University students gathered for a series of events on April 24, 2024. (Credit: Andrea Pineda-Salgado)
A few blocks north, New York University students have organized a series of events, including a film screening of “Gaza Fights for Freedom” for Wednesday night. Tensions are high at the NYU campus -with students running away from anyone with a camera and covering their faces with masks and keffiyehs- after the NYPD quickly dismantled an encampment outside of the Stern Business Schools on Monday night. The location is now boarded up with wooden planks.
“We’re all united around the same goal,” said Em, a sophomore student studying at NYU’s College of Arts and Science who requested anonymity over fears of disciplinary action. “And we’re all united around a free Palestine, and self-determination for the Palestinian people and the protection of free and academic speech.”
JM, Communication Chair for the Students for Justice in Palenstine of The New School outside the University Center Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Credit: Andrea Pineda-Salgado)
On Wednesday, students peacefully gathered outside of the John A. Paulson Center at 181 Mercer Street for a 2 p.m. orientation meeting, while a police van was stationed on the other side of the street.
About the author(s)
Andrea is a bilingual reporter covering immigration in New York City. She is a lifelong New Yorker whose work has centered on stories that affect the city’s immigrant communities.
Xinyuan Cao is a Chinese journalist and a graduate student at Columbia Journalism School. She covers education and immigration in New York City.