American universities groan under protests: ‘Professors ask to provide names of those who are pro-Hamas’

The lawns around the campus of the prestigious Columbia University in New York are usually the base for those who want to rest after a lecture, but these days they form the backdrop for grimmer scenes.

On Thursday, police arrested 108 students who pitched their tents there in protest against the war in Gaza. Although the actions of the security forces were supposed to restore peace to the campus, the opposite happened. There are still students camping on another side of the lawn in the hope that their alma mater will cut ties with Israel.

Minouche Shafik, the head of Columbia University, appears to have no plans in that direction. On Sunday evening, she announced that classes will continue online for the remainder of the semester. Armed officers keep an eye on things at the entrance to the campus, only people with a badge are allowed to enter the area.

Shafik’s choices are also very sensitive to many university employees. “There is a very strong reaction, while the protest action was not so exuberant. Many people believe that a line was crossed when the police were allowed on the property,” says Alexander Ranschaert, an East Flemish citizen who is working on a doctorate at the American institution.

Censorship

There was one on Monday walkout where professors and other employees temporarily left the building to encourage students. Belgian postdoctoral researcher Nina Dolfen was one of them.

She also believes that it is important to protect the large Jewish community at the university, but according to her the current lockdown looks more like censorship. “The campus should be a place where you can express your opinion in a safe way. Oppression is not a solution,” she says.

Columbia University is not the only institution struggling with the question of how much space to provide for protests surrounding the war in Gaza. No one wants to be known for restricting freedom of expression, but at the same time, pro-Palestinian protesters are quickly being pushed into the Hamas camp.

The chancellors of universities in Pennsylvania, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology previously had to answer to Congress for how they dealt with rising anti-Semitism on their campuses. The debate was fierce, especially from the Republican side.

After a somewhat clumsy passage, the pressure on Liz Magill, the head of the University of Pennsylvania, became so great that she resigned together with the chairman of the board of directors.

The matter is extremely sensitive politically and in the meantime, lenders are also threatening to withdraw if pro-Palestinian voices receive too much attention on campus. It is a blazing fire that no one wants to touch.

Rectors may lose their mandates for dealing with the protests, but there is more at stake for activist students. Dolfen explains how American demonstrators often wear face masks to hide their faces. After all, anyone who is recognized can face far-reaching repercussions.

“For some of the people who were suspended here, their connection to the university is also related to access to healthcare. That is now gone,” she says. In a country where a hospital bill is often very expensive, that can count.

Intimidation

At Harvard University, Belgian student Thomas* experiences how intimidation is used to silence critical students. “Asking professors and entrepreneurs to provide their names of those who are pro-Hamas in order to take away their future. And anyone who says that a genocide is happening or that the bombings are not okay, according to them, meets the criteria for being pro-Hamas,” he says.

A few months ago he took part in protests himself, but he no longer dares to do so. He fears he will lose his visa and be sent back to Belgium if he speaks out. It is also the reason why he is testifying here under an pseudonym.

“I once made a comment about how strong the Zionist lobby is here and was immediately reprimanded because that was supposedly an anti-Semitic statement,” he says. Previously, pro-Palestinian demonstrators were filmed by opponents and projected onto screens near the campus with “pro-Hamas” as the caption.

The Palestinian Solidarity Committee is also no longer allowed to organize activities on campus for the rest of the trimester. It reminds Thomas of a witch hunt and he does not think that the cards will suddenly be different after the summer.

“Protesters who stand up for Palestine are playing with their future. I understand that we must do everything we can to protect Jewish students, but that should not stand in the way of freedom of expression. Because now the debate is no longer being conducted on the merits.”

*Thomas is a pseudonym. His real name is known to the editors.