Thousands descend on Columbia campus as faculty blocks encampment entrance
Jewish, anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian students chanted and marched across the South Lawn Monday afternoon.
Faculty members at Columbia University were seen blocking certain students and press from entering the school's anti-Israel encampment until police were called on Monday as thousands descended on the New York City campus.
Fox News Digital witnessed Avi Weinberg, an economics student at Columbia, leading a small group of his Jewish classmates all trying to enter the encampment on the South Lawn.
However, Columbia faculty, wearing orange high-visibility safety vests with taped "faculty" and "staff" labels on their backs, were seen locking arms as they patrolled who was allowed in.
"Students who have only slept here are allowed in," one woman told the group.
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Vest-wearing Columbia faculty were controlling who was allowed access to the anti-Israel encampment. (Nikolas Lanum/Fox News Digital)
The woman got into a combative exchange with one of the students, insisting she knew who had and hadn't slept in the encampment and refused to let them in. The human chain of faculty then turned their backs to the students, who in turn called the police.
"We have to abide by university policy!" Weinberg shouted. "We should all be able to go on that lawn!"
Faculty refused to answer when asked why the students were not being let on the lawn. Members of the crowd suggested it was unfair that faculty were determining who could and could not go into the area when it is part of the university campus they pay to attend.
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Fox News Digital was told that the outlet was not allowed inside, and only student press could access the gated lawn. A local ABC team and several independent reporters were also denied. However, Fox News Digital witnessed a documentary crew and a reporter from Al Jazeera reporting inside the area. Individuals who wore headscarves or waved Palestinian flags were seen moving freely between the encampment and the surrounding campus lawn throughout the day.
Tents remained at the Columbia University encampment following the administration's 2 p.m. ET deadline. (Nikolas Lanum/Fox News Digital)
After police told the students they were on their way, one keffiyeh-wearing protester announced outsiders would be let in.
"We’re opening it up to all students, but all students who come in have to understand that you are at risk for suspension and disciplinary actions because this lawn is currently being used against us as a threat," the protester said. "If you are on the lawn, then you could be suspended, and you will be tried with a disciplinary hearing."
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Thousands of protesters gathered on Columbia University's campus on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nikolas Lanum/Fox News Digital)
One faculty member, Columbia architecture professor Reinhold Martin, defended the anti-Israel protest, telling a group of reporters that criticisms of the movement are a "political attack from the right," saying the "far right" has "captured the message."
When asked about the threat of suspensions Columbia made towards encampment participants, Martin expressed that administrators "should be a little chill about that."
"This is a peaceful environment… This is the form that Occupy Wall Street took," Martin said.
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Late Monday afternoon, Columbia said it had begun suspending students who participated in anti-Israel protests and defied an order to clear encampments by 2 p.m.
Fox News' Bradford Betz contributed to this post.