Amid Israel’s ongoing military offensive in the Gaza Strip, the Indian students at Columbia University in New York has participated in the pro-Palestine protest in the campus chanting ‘azadi’ (freedom) slogans.
Video circulated on social media platforms on Sunday, April 21, shows a woman raising slogans in support of Palestine while her fellow protesters chant ‘azadi’ in chorus in front of Low Memorial Library.
“Arey hum kya chahte, Azadi… Palestine ki, Azadi… arey chheen ke lenge, Azadi… Hai haq hamara, Azadi… (what do we want…freedom… Palestine’s freedom…. we will snatch this freedom which is our right….),” a woman can be heard chanting in the video.
She continued chanting, “Biden sun le, Azadi…. Netanyahu sun le, Azadi… Modi sun le, Azadi”.
Watch the video here
The students have been staging a “Gaza solidarity encampment” protest on campus since 4 am on Wednesday, April 17, demanding the University divest from companies that claim profit from Israeli military actions in Gaza.
On Thursday, April 18, New York Police Department (NYPD) officers arrested 108 students including the daughter of US Rep Ilhan Omar at a campus protest, using riot gear to dismantle the encampment.
The incident took place after Columbia President Nemat Shafik’s Congressional testimony over antisemitism on college campuses.
In a letter to the university community on Thursday, Shafik regret for authorizing police intervention, stating she had no choice after unsuccessful attempts to resolve the situation by students, Associated Press (AP) reported.
Glimpse of protest at Columbia University
Columbia professors and faculty members, expressed shock at Shafik’s decision to involve the police in the protests.
At Harvard University, hundreds of students demonstrated on campus in solidarity with their fellow students who were arrested at Columbia University.
Videos also showed dozens of female students at Boston University in support of Palestine and Gaza, and denouncing what the Columbia University administration did.
