Campus Crackdowns Echo Institutional Hypocrisy
FIRST INSTANCE: The Vietnam War Era 1968: Columbia University, the same institution, became a flashpoint for anti-Vietnam War and civil rights protests. Students occupied administrative buildings for days to protest the university's ties to the Institute for Defense Analyses and its plans to build a gym in Morningside Park, viewed as segregated. The university administration, after initial
hesitation, called in the New York City Police Department to violently clear the buildings. Over 700 students were arrested, and more than 100 were injured (AP, 1968). The administration framed these actions as necessary to restore order and protect property, despite the protests addressing fundamental moral and ethical concerns. REPETITIONS: Anti-Apartheid and Labor Protests 1985: Columbia
students barricaded Hamilton Hall for three weeks, demanding divestment from apartheid South Africa. Again, the administration invoked rules violations and, after prolonged negotiation, eventually resorted to calling in police, leading to dozens of arrests (Columbia Spectator, 1985). The university's initial response focused on procedural infractions rather than the substance of the students'
demands. Divestment eventually occurred, but only after sustained pressure and public backlash. 2007: Students at The New School occupied a building for 30 hours to protest university investments and administrative decisions. While not directly involving ICE, the response again highlighted institutional unwillingness to engage with student grievances, framing the occupation as a breach of conduct.