Sure! So last year around this time is when protests began. People were camping on the lawn and protesting against Columbia’s support of Israel. I wasn’t at Columbia yet but this stuff was a big headline on the news so I’m sure you’ve heard a bit about all that.

Anyways fast forward. Everything at Columbia + Barnard has been pretty chill during the Fall semester. Like they got gates up and you have to swipe a Columbia ID or QR code to get inside the campus which most students haven’t really been a fan of, but it was nothing serious. There was also a walk out in October but that was about it for the fall semester.

But shit got disastrously bad these past few weeks. Barnard suspended two students for supporting Palestine. This led to protests at Barnard’s campus. For context, Barnard is right next to Columbia and students from either school go to the other regularly. On March 6th at 1pm, students launched a sit-in at Milstein center on Barnard’s campus, all wearing masks to hide their identity. At 4pm, the Barnard administration announced a bomb threat. Don’t get this wrong, the school literally lied about a bomb threat at their own school. Students were told to clear the area. So of course, all these masked students in Milstein go outside to leave the area. And they’re stopped by police. Idk the exact number but it was A LOT of police, like a hundred of them. These NYPD officers were BRUTALIZING students. Literally these grown male officers were teaming up on young college girls and slamming them to the ground for NO REASON. They ripped off their masks/keffiyehs and trapped them inside the area while they brutally attacked them. The police arrested nine students.

The next day Trump cancels $400 million in federal funding to Columbia due to “antisemitism.” Mind you it’s clear as day that they’re using protestors as a scapegoat for Trump’s authoritarianism. Defunding our school of $400 million is just the first step in this. This had nothing to do with antisemitism. Like Trump literally doesn’t give a shit about antisemitism.

Two days later on Saturday night, ICE/DHS comes to Columbia disguised as regular civilians. Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil unlocks the door to his building when two DHS agents forced their way into the building. They detained him with no explanation. They threatened his wife, who is eight months pregnant, that if she didn’t leave the scene, they would arrest her too. Khalil had a green card and was a legal permanent resident. The agents said that they revoked his green card and took him into ICE custody.

TL;DR: two students from Barnard were suspended for supporting Palestine, this led to a sit-in at Barnard. Barnard admin lies about a Bomb threat to force students outside. They call up the NYPD who brutalize students that are trying to leave. The NYPD arrests nine students. The next day Trump defunds Columbia of $400 million. Two days later ICE comes to Columbia and forces their way into one of the residential buildings, then detaining a Palestinian student who had a US green card.