The mainstream media would have you think that campuses across the country erupted in violent protests dripping in antisemitism. This really couldn’t be further from the truth, and I say this as someone who was there and have since spoken with organizers who joined these protests across the country.

Let me be clear — the Columbia protests, and the encampments as a whole, were protests against our universities’ complicity in genocide. We sat on lawns, protested, and educated ourselves on the struggle of the Palestinian people. The response from the administration was to violently suppress us through the NYPD and by emboldening counter protestors.

This also isn’t the first time students have used these same tactics at Columbia. In fact, Hamilton Hall has been occupied five times previously. In 1968 and 1972, students occupied Hamilton Hall for a week to protest against U.S. crimes in Vietnam. In 1985, protestors blockaded and padlocked it for three weeks to organize for divestment from Apartheid South Africa.

And more locally focused, in 1982 students occupied the Hall to stop Columbia’s demolition of the Audubon Ballroom. Then 1996 saw another four day occupation to demand Columbia establish ethnic studies departments. Many in Columbia’s current leadership would have praised these actions not long ago, as a proud part of Columbia’s history. However, that same pride apparently disappears when we stand up today.

Even after these protests took place and the genocide in Gaza raged on with the full support of the Biden Administration, Columbia’s leadership refused to cut their ties with Israel. Ultimately, the divestment of American universities from apartheid South Africa played an important role in bringing about the end of that horrible system of subjugation and exploitation there.

We continue to call on our universities today to stand on the right side of history and cut ties with genocide. We know that history will ultimately judge us, and I’m proud to know where I stood and continue to stand.