Pro-Palestine protesters demonstrate outside Columbia University, in New York, on September 3. AP
Pro-Palestine protesters demonstrate outside Columbia University, in New York, on September 3. AP
Pro-Palestine protesters demonstrate outside Columbia University, in New York, on September 3. AP
Pro-Palestine protesters demonstrate outside Columbia University, in New York, on September 3. AP

Pro-Palestine campus protests resume in US as semester begins


Patrick deHahn
  • English
  • Arabic

Anti-war protesters calling for Columbia University's divestment from Israel and its actions in Palestine began demonstrations on the first day of classes in New York on Tuesday. This follows the protest movement that began in the spring.

“It's back to school season in both Gaza and New York – but while we are privileged enough to move into our dorms ready for the new school year, 715,000 Gazan children receive their US-backed education in the form of air strikes,” the CU Apartheid Divest organisation said. “We're not going anywhere. All day long, we will #Picket4Palestine."

Live video on social media showed a small group of protesters picketing outside an entrance of the Upper West Side campus in Manhattan, chanting pro-Palestinian slogans and attempting to block entry to the main grounds.

"The university welcomed new and returning students for a productive first day of classes on Morningside Campus," a Columbia representative told The National in an email. "As we begin the new semester, we are focused on our mission of teaching, creating and advancing knowledge, and ensuring a safe, respectful campus environment for our community."

The picket did not disrupt the start of classes and dispersed on its own in the early afternoon.

Red paint was also thrown on the Alma Mater statue on campus — allegedly as part of a protest — and it was cleaned up shortly after the incident.

Tuesday's actions mark the start of an academic term that could be disrupted by student protests and increased campus security in the run-up to the US election and as the Israel-Gaza war rages on.

Elsewhere, the University of Michigan saw a police crackdown on an anti-war protest last week, while The New York Times reported pro-Palestine activists shut down the student government, demanding that the administration divest from companies connected to Israel.

Pro-Palestine protesters outside Columbia University. AP
Pro-Palestine protesters outside Columbia University. AP

“As long as Columbia continues to invest and to benefit from Israeli apartheid, the students will continue to resist,” graduate student Mahmoud Khalil told AP. “Not only protests and encampments, the limit is the sky.”

The Ivy League university was the centre of anti-war student protests, with demonstrators angered over the rising civilian death toll due to Israel's military operations in Gaza after a deadly Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7.

The first student camp in the middle of Columbia's Morningside campus and the initial arrests of more than 100 people inspired thousands of university students nationally and internationally to start their own anti-war protests.

Some academic programmes agreed to divest from finances connected to Israel, while others told student protesters that they would take their demands into consideration, along with other requests. Columbia has refused to consider divesting.

Columbia is also starting its term weeks after its president, Minouche Shafik, resigned. She faced criticism over calling New York police twice: once to evict a tent camp and again to clear the occupation of an academic building.

Universities try to curb protests

Colleges and universities have changed codes of conduct and blocked parts of campuses over the summer in moves to curb student protests. Changes include limiting when and where demonstrations could take place, restrictions on amplified sound and guidelines about protest signs, educators with the American Association for University Professors organisation said last week.

New York University, another site of student demonstrations in the city, updated its student code of conduct to include anti-Zionist speech as a form of discriminatory behaviour that could result in punishment.

The Intercept and The Hill reported that NYU was the first US university to view Zionism as an identity in need of protection. “With harsh sanctions for violations, the policies broadly chill students and faculty from engaging in protests and demonstrations,” the AAUP added.

New York University had Gould Plaza, the location of a student occupation, boarded up as of last week, and NYU professor Jacob Remes posted a photo on X showing campus benches barricaded off with a suggestion that it was because of protest concerns.

AP reported that Columbia has hired private security guards to patrol and require students or faculty to present identification to enter the campus, a part of the city that used to be open to the public.

The university's safety division also introduced a colour-coded campus status level system, with each level mandating different measures of security and entry requirements.

It is currently set at orange, the second-highest level under red, which means there is a limited amount of entrances open and only those with Columbia IDs or pre-registered guests can pass through

“Our colleges and universities should encourage, not suppress, open and vigorous dialogue and debate even on the most deeply held beliefs,” the AAUP said.

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

THE%20SPECS
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Tips%20for%20holiday%20homeowners
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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

McIlroy's recent struggles

Last six stroke-play events (First round score in brackets)

Arnold Palmer Invitational Tied for 4th (74)

The US Masters Tied for 7th (72)

The Players Championship Tied for 35th (73)

US Open Missed the cut (78)

Travellers Championship Tied for 17th (67)

Irish Open Missed the cut (72)

Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What is the definition of an SME?

SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.

A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors. 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FuturLab%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESquare%20Enix%20Collective%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%20Switch%2C%3Cstrong%3E%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPlayStation%204%20%26amp%3B%205%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20X%2FS%20and%20PC%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

Updated: September 04, 2024, 3:36 PM`