On the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, which occurred on October 7, 2023, anti-Israel protesters gathered outside Columbia University to distribute the ‘Columbia Intifada’ newspaper. The paper, produced by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), is reportedly filled with content that seems to justify the Hamas attack on Israeli citizens that occurred at the Nova music festival. The university has condemned the paper, calling it a violation of its policy, as it encourages the promotion or glorification of violence.
The ‘Columbia Intifada’ was created by SJP, a student organization that has been suspended by Columbia University since November 2023. The university suspended the organization after finding that the group was promoting violence and violating its policies. The New York Civil Liberties Union and Palestine Legal filed a lawsuit against Columbia University in March 2024, alleging violations of the group’s rights, but the university won the case in November 2024. Despite the suspension, the group’s social media channels remain active, and it is unclear who is currently writing and publishing the newspaper.
The ‘Columbia Intifada’ is roughly the same size as a standard newspaper and has a similar design to the university’s ‘Columbia Spectator.’ The paper features multiple color layers, anonymous authors, and branding similar to the university’s publication. The distribution of the newspaper at the gates of Columbia University was accompanied by stickers promoting the protest, which were thrown from the windows of the school grounds to protesters and onlookers nearby.
Most of the approximately hundred protesters were wrapped in garments that only revealed their eyes. The demonstration organizers also offered free masks to individuals who entered through a metal police barrier designed to prevent any escalation in conflict. Chants of ‘free Palestine’ were heard, but a few pro-Israel voices emerged as the protest progressed with dissenting opinions. The first speaker among the protesters instructed the crowd not to speak with the press, and the group made the protesters audibly repeat the statement that there would be no communication with the press.
One speaker went on to say that the Columbia SJP are not only the scum of the earth, they are nauseatingly anti-semitic, wildly factually wrong, and a major reason why they and their ilk have been thrown into the trash bin of political irrelevance. The Republican Jewish Coalition spokesperson, Sam Markstein, stated that the group’s libelous slanders are a reason for their continued marginalization. The university’s spokesperson has emphasized that invoking the university’s name to glorify violence is a breach of its values, and the university is investigating the matter.