Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters stood outside of Columbia University in New York City on Wednesday, holding signs while chanting and demanding the removal of Jewish people from Gaza, while others boycotted the suspension of two far-left student-led groups by the school's administration.
The "emergency protest" was shared on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, by groups such as WOLPalestine (Within Our Lifetime) and CUNYPalestine, noting the event was scheduled for Nov. 15 at 2 p.m.
"All Out for Gaza at Columbia University," the post read. "In solidarity with Columbia SJP (Students for Justice in Palestine) and JVP (Jewish Voices for Peace) who were recently unjustly suspended by the university administration.
COLUMBIA SUSPENDS ANTI-ISRAEL STUDENT GROUPS FOR ‘THREATENING RHETORIC AND INTIMIDATION’
Last week, Columbia University suspended the far-left groups as official student groups through the end of the fall term, saying they had violated university policies.
Specifically, the university said the groups, "repeatedly violated university policies related to holding campus events, culminating in an unauthorized event Thursday afternoon that proceeded despite warnings and included threatening rhetoric and intimidation."
It marked the second university at the time to act against SJP in recent days, with Brandeis University in Massachusetts banning the group earlier in the week for statements supporting Hamas. Tuesday night, George Washington University also sanctioned SJP.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT PRAISES ‘PERSISTENCE’ OF STUDENTS ACCUSED OF ANTISEMITISM
During Wednesday’s protest at 116th Street and Broadway near Columbia, people were heard chanting, "One, Two, Three, Four, Occupation No More. Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Israel is a terrorist state. Israel, you can’t hide."
Other chants shouted on the street included, "Israel Bombs. USA Paid. How many kids did you kill today," and "Free, Free Palestine."
Protesters also held banners and signs that read, "Within our lifetime, United for Palestine," "Cease Genocide," and "Resistance until return, within our lifetime."
Members of the faculty also protested the student groups getting kicked off campus.
The faculty was seen standing together with a list of demands from Columbia, including affirming their commitment to the First Amendment, overturning the suspension of the student groups, and recognizing publicly that academic freedom protects all forms of political speech.
Like many other elite institutions, Columbia's response to the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas has been under the microscope. One professor went viral for decrying the response by the school to instances of campus antisemitism. A Jewish student was also attacked with a stick after objecting to a woman tearing down posters of Hamas hostages.
The New York Post reported last month more than 100 Columbia professors signed a letter defending pro-Palestinian students who had defended the Hamas attack on Israel and asked administrators to stop making statements, "that favor the suffering and death of Israelis or Jews over the suffering and deaths of Palestinians."
Fox News Digital's David Rutz contributed to this report.
