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Home»Human Interest»Protesters Interrupt Class at New York’s Columbia University, Get Schooled by Students

Protesters Interrupt Class at New York’s Columbia University, Get Schooled by Students

That went poorly.

Alex GibsonBy Alex GibsonJanuary 22, 20253 Mins Read
New York Columbia protest goes wrong
Image source: X @CUJewsIsraelis

A History of Modern Israel class at Columbia University in New York became the site of an unexpected protest on January 21, as activists stormed the classroom and distributed anti-Zionist fliers bearing incendiary messages like โ€œCrush Zionismโ€ and โ€œBurn Zionism to the ground.โ€ While the protesters sought to disrupt, many students in the room were quick to respond, calling out their tactics and demanding they leave.

The scene was captured in a video by a student, Orri Zussman, which has since gone viral. The footage shows a group of masked protesters entering the lecture hall, distributing fliers with violent imagery, and speaking to a camera about their opposition to Zionism. Their presence sparked a tense confrontation as students pushed back against the interruption. One student bluntly said, โ€œWe donโ€™t want your sh-t,โ€ while another urged them to reveal their faces: โ€œTake off your mask. Why donโ€™t you take off your mask?โ€

"Why don't you take off your mask?!"

Thatโ€™s how Columbia students responded when masked protesters entered their classroom with pamphlets that call to "burn" and "crush" Zionism.

Do these students actually think that harassing people will change their minds, or do they thinkโ€ฆ pic.twitter.com/QLWNu58MGr

— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) January 21, 2025

A Clash of Rights

According to the Times of Israel, This disruption occurred on the first day of the spring semester, during a class taught by Avi Shilon. Shilon later told reporters that he was caught off-guard by the protesters but attempted to de-escalate the situation by inviting them to stay and participate in the discussion. โ€œI suggested to them to join the class and to learn about the conflict,โ€ he explained.

Students online and in the classroom were far less accommodating. Several pointed out that the activists’ actions infringed on their right to learn, with one saying, โ€œThis is a civil rights violation. Weโ€™re trying to learn.โ€ Others expressed frustration over the cost of their education being undermined by outside political grandstanding. โ€œTheyโ€™re stealing from every student in that class,โ€ one Reddit commenter remarked. โ€œStudents pay a LOT of money to learn from an expert, and theyโ€™re having that time stolen from them.โ€

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Columbia University was swift in its condemnation of the protest. Interim President Katrina Armstrong issued a statement emphasizing the universityโ€™s commitment to free expression but drawing a clear line at disruptions to academic activities.

Social Media Reacts: โ€œVirtue Theatreโ€

The protestersโ€™ actions and masked appearances also drew sharp criticism online, where many accused them of performative activism. One Reddit user quipped, โ€œNothing shows your ineptitude to a cause like covering your entire face while proclaiming your message. If you truly believe in what youโ€™re saying, broadcast your identity far and wide.โ€ Another labeled their behavior as โ€œvirtue theatre,โ€ suggesting the activists were more interested in drawing attention to themselves than effecting real change.

Some questioned whether the protesters even had a genuine connection to the cause. โ€œI bet they couldnโ€™t point to Palestine on a map,โ€ one comment read, while another sarcastically asked, โ€œWhatโ€™s the tuition at Columbia again? These arenโ€™t casual students. Theyโ€™re here to get an education, not deal with this nonsense.โ€

The incident has once again highlighted the polarized nature of campus politics surrounding Israel and Palestine. For some students, the protest was an unacceptable disruption of academic freedom. For others, it was a necessary act of resistance against a system they see as complicit in oppression. However, the classroom confrontation, combined with the viral backlash, suggests that such tactics may not achieve the desired impactโ€”at least not among the student body at Columbia.

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Alex Gibson
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Alex is the website's Managing Editor. Despite being an avid video game player for now three decades (welp!), he still cannot explain why developers don't match the walk speed of main protagonists to NPCs.

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