Student-Led Protests Hit U.S. Campuses Amid Israel-Hamas War

Local residents and area students take part in a rally in support of a ceasefire on Oct. 25 in downtown Poughkeepsie. Credit: Rebekah Hendricks '24.

At colleges and universities across the nation, the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has raised temperatures as student protests are reverberating on campuses.

Hamas led an attack on Israel on Oct. 7 that left over 1,400 Israelis killed and over 200 taken hostage. So far, just four have been released. Over 7,000 Palestinians have died as a result of the fighting.

In light of this escalating global conflict and massive death toll, college students have shown both their solidarity and rage through demonstrations on their campuses. 

Columbia University in New York City was one of the first to react to this news, with students on both sides rallying together in a protest drawing hundreds on Oct. 12. The large-scale demonstration forced the university administration to close the campus to the public. This came as police were investigating possible hate crimes after an Israeli student was assaulted the day prior. 

Down in lower Manhattan, New York University students rallied together in Washington Square Park for both Palestine and Israel support along with non-student demonstrators on Oct. 17. 

As reported by CBS, Pro-Israel students had their anger focused on Hamas and protection for Israel after the attack. Along with this, many shared their sorrows and anxieties about their family members in Israel. 

On the other side, a demonstrator in support of Palestine told CBS, “We're not supporting violence. We're here to talk about the history of the Palestinian people, that they've been suffering for 75 years and that the incidents are not happening within a vacuum.”

Across state lines, University of Pennsylvania is facing their own backlash from students protesting on campus in addition to donors backing out after the president of the school, Liz Magill, released her statement regarding the attacks. 

Many of the students noted the lack of acknowledgement of the Palestinian people who have been affected after the attack happened. 

“I, and this University, are horrified by and condemn Hamas’s terrorist assault on Israel and their violent atrocities against civilians. There is no justification—none—for these heinous attacks, which have consumed the region and are inciting violence in other parts of the world,” said President Magill in her statement. 

Jewish students on the campus were also feeling their sense of hurt, one of which telling The Philadelphia Inquirer that although he doesn’t think he’ll get randomly attacked, he does feel a significant shift within his safety on the campus. 

Some of the other colleges and universities who’ve shared their grief on both sides in some way include University of Massachusetts Amherst,  Harvard University, Brown University and University of California, Berkeley. 

President Magill said in her statement that the university will monitor any threats and violence pertaining to the recent events and shares her commitment to making the school a place for students to find comfort within its community. 

Marist has not seen any large-scale campus demonstrations, though a number of students took part in a rally downtown on Oct. 25 supporting Palestine and a ceasefire resolution. Local residents and students from area colleges led a rally outside the Poughkeepsie office of Rep. Pat Ryan (NY-18), urging him to support a House ceasefire resolution. A candlelight vigil proceeded the rally.

Leaders of campus organizations provided statements on the ongoing war:

“We are saddened to see the acts of hatred and antisemitism on campuses across the U.S. 

Hillel seeks to promote a safe and peaceful environment for Jewish people on campus and will continue to do so in these trying times.” said president of Marist Hillel, Marin Rosman, on behalf of the club. 

“We have a right to self determination. We have a right to say enough is enough. We have had absolutely enough. And it's that simple. It shouldn't be hard for the world to see that,” said Sereen El Jamal, the Co-president of the Marist Muslim Student Association on behalf of the student association.