The Gaza Solidarity Encampment enters its ninth day as the University inches closer to the end of the semester.

Faculty and graduate students in Columbia and Barnard’s Political Science departments wrote a letter condemning President Shafik and supporting student protesters.

On Wednesday, Columbia University Apartheid Divest organized a press conference in front of Butler Library near the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. Encampment representatives took questions from members of the press. Content warning: Mentions of violence.

Protests, demonstrations, and responses from the community and officials continue as the eighth day of the Encampment begins. Most recently, Columbia and student organizers have been in negotiations.

On Tuesday evening, President Minouche Shafik announced plans for clearing the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, giving Encampment organizers a deadline of midnight to reach an agreement. Upon the chance that an agreement is not reached, President Shafik plans to “consider alternative options.” 

At 4 pm on Tuesday, arrested and suspended Jewish students held a press conference, speaking about their experiences. This comes five days after the initial arrests and notices of interim suspension, which occurred on Thursday, April 18.

After individuals were denied access to the Gaza Solidarity Encampment due to attempting to film inside, they attested to experiencing antisemitism on behalf of pro-Palestine demonstrators.

Columbia Provost Angela V Olinto and COO Cas Holloway have established teaching guidelines for the rest of the Spring 2024 Semester as a result of the events following the Gaza Solidarity Encampment and the related on- and off-campus protests.

President Laura Rosenbury addressed the Barnard community in a statement on Monday evening, four days after the arrests and suspensions of multiple Barnard students involved in the Gaza Solidarity Encampment.