Pro-Palestine and Pro-Israel Protests Return as Classes Commence at NYU

Along with the return to classes at NYU on September 3, came the return of campus activity related to the Israel-Hamas war abroad.

Protests picked up right where they left off with a Labor day protest on Monday titled “Flood New York City for Gaza.” The protest, which began at Union Square at noon, made its way to NYU’s campus. The protesters gathered in Washington Square Park, where signs were held including one that read, “NYU Students for Palestine.” 

According to the NYU SJP (Students for Justice in Palestine) Instagram account, a “solidarity week” has commenced, with students urged to wear their keffiyehs each day for the various events including “Radical Club Fest” and “Teach in: Unveiling NYU” at Sassaki Garden in Washington Square Village. 

The NYU club also participated in NYU’s club fest earlier today, which took place at the NYU Paulson Center. While NYU SJP held table 246, SSI NYU (Students Supporting Israel) held table 296 at the fair, the first time the club participated since officially becoming an NYU recognized club. 

Last night, the club took to Washington Square Park’s arch to hold a vigil in memory of the six hostages executed by Hamas most recently. Their bodies recovered on Saturday, they appeared to have been killed shortly before they were found, according to Israeli officials.

SSI NYU along with members of the NYU and downtown community gathered in unison as community leaders such as Executive Director of the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life, Rabbi Yehuda Sarna, gave speeches and shared their grievances.

A vigil and demonstration was held at the Washington Square Park arch in memory of the six Israeli hostages executed by Hamas. 

The vigil, which began at 7:15 p.m. and lasted about 45 minutes, was only briefly interrupted by a group on bicycles, some of whom chanted, “free palestine.”

SSI president, Bella Ingber, told the NYU Review that “the murder of these 6 hostages in cold blood reminds us again of the sheer evil, the deep depravity, and the shocking immorality that Israel has been facing for these 11 months.” 

“Returning to campus amidst all of this loss, heartbreak, devastation, and turmoil is such a heavy feeling. It is such an isolating feeling. That is why it was so important for us to stand together as we did last night. To give each other support. To be each other's strength. We need to make it very clear that we are not going anywhere,” Ingber says.

Ingber was involved in a lawsuit against the university, which was settled in early July. She, along with fellow SSI leader Sabrina Maslavi and Saul Tawil, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in November, in which they accused the university of failing to properly handle the anti-Jewish and anti-Israel atmosphere on campus, allowing them to feel unsafe and denying them equal access to their education. The plaintiffs said they were verbally harassed, with members of the NYU community chanting “gas the Jews” amongst other instances.

Following the settlement of the lawsuit, NYU vowed to take action to combat antisemitism on campus. 

NYU sent out a press release on August 25 and on August 29, the Office of the Dean of Students sent out an email titled “Guiding Our Engagement: Essential Policies and Resources for our Community” with an updated “How We Engage” policy breakdown. 

Part of the update to the Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment policies includes anti-Zionist discrimination. The update includes prohibiting students from denying access to or refusing to allow an individual to participate in any program or activity based on their religious or ethnic attire or language. 

“Using code words, like ‘Zionist,’ does not eliminate the possibility that your speech violates the NDAH Policy.  For many Jewish people, Zionism is a part of their Jewish identity.  Speech and conduct that would violate the NDAH if targeting Jewish or Israeli people can also violate the NDAH if directed toward Zionists.  For example, excluding Zionists from an open event, calling for the death of Zionists, applying a ‘no Zionist’ litmus test for participation in any NYU activity, using or disseminating tropes, stereotypes, and conspiracies about Zionists (e.g., ‘Zionists control the media’), demanding a person who is or is perceived to be Jewish or Israeli to state a position on Israel or Zionism, minimizing or denying the Holocaust, or invoking Holocaust imagery or symbols to harass or discriminate.

Expressing views regarding a particular country's policies or practices does not violate University policy, but if conduct that otherwise appears to be based on views about a country’s policies or practices is targeted at or infused with discriminatory comments, such as in the examples above, then it would implicate the NDAH.”

An additional statement was put out by NYU Spokesperson John Beckman about the Press Release of August 25. Part of the statement read, “We are aware of some concerns that have been raised about what have been labeled ‘changes’ to our anti-harassment and non-discrimination policies…Consistent with recent guidance from OCR and agreements that it has entered with other schools, conduct that otherwise triggers our non-discrimination and anti-harassment policy cannot be shielded by using ‘Zionist’ as a substitute or codeword for Jew or Israeli. Excluding Zionists from an open event, calling for the death of Zionists, applying a ‘no Zionist’ litmus test for participation in any NYU activity, is not allowed. This is not the ‘weaponization’ of a word—it is providing further guidance to our community about how our policies apply in different circumstances.”

NYU SJP reacted in an Instagram post, stating that “the NYU administration has purposefully stifled any real form of disruptive protest and criminalized anti-Zionist speech on campus as violating anti-discrimination policies.” 

Students sat outside the NYU Paulson Center, where the NYU Club Fest took place, earlier today, with a sign that read "Disclose + Divest Free Palestine." NYU SJP and NYU SSI both tabled at the event. 

While NYU SJP holds an Instagram account along with NYU LSJP (NYU Law Students for Justice in Palestine) and other NYU groups for Palestine, NYU PSC’s (Palestine Solidarity Coalition) account was removed by Meta and has since been replaced by a new account, nyu_solidarity. 

Following the weeklong activities hosted by these groups, a “Hope not Hate” rally will take place at Garibaldi Plaza in Washington Square Park hosted by pro-Israel influencer and activist Zach Sage Fox in conjunction with several pro-Israel organizations.

NYU spokesperson John Beckman and NYU SJP did not immediately respond to our request for comment.