108 Protesters Arrested at Columbia University for Gaza Solidarity Encampment: Academic Freedom Violated

New York City, New York, USA United States of America
Academic freedom and shared governance violated according to faculty members
Barnard College suspended Isra Hirsi and two other students for involvement in encampment
Columbia University president Minouche Shafik allowed NYPD on campus to make arrests despite not achieving consensus
NYPD cleared area and made arrests at direction of Shafik
Over 108 protesters arrested at Columbia University for Gaza Solidarity Encampment
Protest existed for about a day and a half with over 50 tents and various donations
108 Protesters Arrested at Columbia University for Gaza Solidarity Encampment: Academic Freedom Violated

In a dramatic turn of events, over 108 demonstrators were arrested by the New York Police Department on South Lawn of Columbia University after setting up an encampment in protest against Israel's war on Gaza. The arrests violated academic freedom and shared governance according to faculty members. Students and faculty held two press conferences, one in front of the President's House and one on Zoom, expressing outrage over the mass arrests. Columbia University president Minouche Shafik allowed the NYPD on campus to arrest the protesters despite not achieving consensus on the deployment of NYPD on Columbia campus. The protest, named 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment', was an impromptu tent village with over 50 tents and various donations, existing for about a day and a half. Faculty member Joseph Howley spoke in front of Shafik's home alongside student organizers Layla Saliba and Julia Bannon. In response to the protest, Barnard College suspended Isra Hirsi, daughter of Ilhan Omar, along with two other students for their involvement in the encampment. The arrests led to tensions on Columbia University's campus as NYPD began clearing the area and making arrests at the direction of Shafik.


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Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • Is the number of arrested protesters exactly 108?
  • Was consensus not achieved on NYPD deployment or was it just a disagreement?

Sources

75%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Police arrest Columbia University students protesting Israel’s war on Gaza

theguardian.com Article URL: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/13/ pakistan-·coalition-·agrees-to-form-government Erum Salam Thursday, 18 April 2024 22:47
  • Unique Points
    • Columbia University students protested Israel’s war on Gaza and demanded a ceasefire and financial divestment from Israel.
    • Three students including Isra Hirsi, daughter of Ilhan Omar, were suspended from Columbia and Barnard College for their participation in the encampment.
  • Accuracy
    • Over 108 demonstrators were arrested by the New York Police Department on South Lawn of Columbia University
    • Hundreds of students pitched tents and camped out in protest since early morning on Wednesday.
    • Isra Hirsi, daughter of Ilhan Omar, was suspended from Columbia and Barnard College for her participation in the encampment.
    • Asna Tabassum, Muslim valedictorian at University of Southern California (USC), had her commencement speech cancelled due to security risks related to her support for Palestine.
    • Students gathered at USC campus in Los Angeles and chanted ‘let her speak’ in support of Asna Tabassum.
    • Columbia University Apartheid Divest, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace were suspended for repeatedly violating university policies related to holding campus events.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position of students being arrested for protesting Israel's war on Gaza. It does not mention any counter-arguments or opposing viewpoints. The article also uses emotional manipulation by using phrases like 'indescribable genocide of our precious Palestinians in Gaza' and 'extraordinary circumstances'. Additionally, the author quotes students making statements that are editorializing and pontificating, such as 'I just received notice that I am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.'
    • Speaking through a megaphone, he told the crowd: ‘I stand in solidarity with each and every one of you because we are in solidarity with human suffering, especially when it is imposed by human beings – and I’m talking about the indescribable genocide of our precious Palestinians in Gaza.’
    • students say the lawn was previously designated a ‘free speech zone’ in line with the university’s latest policy on protesting, but several students have been removed, arrested and suspended from campus, and some also evicted from their on-campus housing, the student newspaper reported.
    • i’m an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP, in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege i have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings i just received notice that i am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.
  • Fallacies (80%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority by mentioning the testimonies of university presidents before the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. This is a fallacy as it does not provide any logical reasoning or evidence for the claims made in the article.
    • University presidents of other prestigious institutions including Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were also questioned by the committee in hearings on the same subject last year and the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania – Claudine Gay and Elizabeth Magill – later stepped down.
  • Bias (80%)
    The author Erum Salam demonstrates a clear bias towards the Palestinian cause in this article. She uses language that depicts the Israeli actions as a 'war on Gaza' and 'genocide of our precious Palestinians'. She also quotes students who are protesting for Palestine and supports their cause, while mentioning their suspensions without any criticism or questioning of their actions. The author does not provide any counter-perspective or balance in the article.
    • Israel’s military offensive on the Gaza strip in retaliation for the 7 October attack on southern Israel by Hamas,
      • I stand in solidarity with each and every one of you because we are in solidarity with human suffering, especially when it is imposed by human beings – and I’m talking about the indescribable genocide of our precious Palestinians in Gaza.
        • tensions have erupted on college campuses across America. Columbia, one of the elite private Ivy League universities, has seen allegations of harassment made by and against both Jewish and Muslim students.
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        97%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Faculty, students host press conferences expressing outrage over mass arrests

        The Columbia Spectator Chris Mendell Friday, 19 April 2024 00:00
        • Unique Points
          • Over 108 demonstrators were arrested by the New York Police Department on South Lawn of Columbia University
          • Faculty member Joseph Howley spoke at the press conference in front of President Shafik’s house alongside student organizers Layla Saliba and Julia Bannon
          • Professors James Schamus, Sheldon Pollock, Ilan Cohen, Celeste (General Studies student), and Daria Mateescu spoke at the Zoom press conference
          • The arrests violated academic freedom and shared governance according to professors
        • Accuracy
          • Two press conferences were held, one in front of President Minouche Shafik’s house and one on Zoom
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        64%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Ilhan Omar's daughter mocked as 'psycho' after college suspends her for anti-Israel demonstrations

        Entertainment Variety Tv Site: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv-site/ Kyle Morris Friday, 19 April 2024 05:47
        • Unique Points
          • Rep. Ilhan Omar’s daughter, Isra Hirsi, was suspended from Barnard College following her involvement in an anti-Israel protest on Columbia University’s campus.
          • Isra Hirsi should have been expelled instead of suspended according to some critics.
        • Accuracy
          • Isra Hirsi was suspended from Barnard College following her involvement in an anti-Israel protest on Columbia University’s campus.
          • Hirsi was also arrested and faces trespassing charges for her participation in the protest.
          • She confirmed the news of her suspension on X and expressed solidarity with Palestinians.
        • Deception (50%)
          The article by Kyle Morris is moderately deceptive. The author uses emotional manipulation and sensationalism to sway the reader's opinion against Ilhan Omar and her daughter Isra Hirsi. The author also engages in selective reporting, focusing solely on Hirsi's involvement in anti-Israel protests and her suspension from Barnard College, while ignoring other aspects of her life and achievements.
          • Social media erupted Thursday evening after Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., revealed she had been suspended from Barnard College following her involvement in an anti-Israel protest
          • Ilhan Omar doesn’t just hate America, she’s also teaching her kids to hate America
          • Hirsi, who confirmed the news in a post on X on Thursday morning, was also one of several students arrested in connection with an anti-Israel event at Columbia later in the day and is set to face trespassing charges, NYPD sources confirmed to Fox News.
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (0%)
          The author uses derogatory language to describe Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, by calling her 'psycho' and implying that she supports terrorism. This demonstrates a clear bias against Hirsi and her political beliefs.
          • Ilhan Omar’s daughter suspended from Columbia for her leadership role in unsanctioned antisemitic and pro-terror protests.
            • Ilhan Omar’s psycho daughter just got suspended from Barnard over her Hamas activism, and she has a Soviet hammer & sickle emoji in her bio ☭ Perfection.
              • Seems the apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree.
                • Supporting terrorism should be grounds for immediate expulsion!
                  • Why are we bringing people to America who hate America? This is a road to terrorism.
                  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication

                  87%

                  The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
                  (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

                  A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

                  Columbia Sends In the N.Y.P.D. to Arrest Protesters in Tent City

                  The Name Of The NZ Prefix. I PWA NZI.P.Was Dropped. Sharon Otterman Thursday, 18 April 2024 23:12
                  • Unique Points
                    • Columbia University president Nemat Shafik broke with tradition and called in the police to quell a pro-Palestinian protest on campus.
                    • The protest, named ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’, was an impromptu tent village with over 50 tents and various donations. It existed for about a day and a half.
                  • Accuracy
                    • During the encampment, there were film screenings, teach-ins, and hundreds of students marched in support.
                  • Deception (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                  • Fallacies (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                  • Bias (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication