Brief
Pro-Palestinian walkouts erupt at NYU and Columbia on Oct. 7 anniversary
Students at New York University and Columbia University joined protests, chanting slogans and demanding divestment, as anti‑Israel demonstrations spread across NYC.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered across New York City on Oct. 7, 2026, marking the third anniversary of Hamas’ attack, with walkouts at New York University (NYU) and Columbia University, according to the New York Post.
What happened
More than 100 people assembled in Washington Square Park for a NYU Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) rally called “Rage Week,” while additional protesters marched on Columbia’s campus. Demonstrators wore keffiyehs, displayed banners calling for NYU to divest and shut down its Tel Aviv campus, and chanted slogans such as “Long live the intifada” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
What the reports add
The New York Post noted that NYU professor Andrew Ross, a member of Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine, addressed the crowd, blaming Israel for the Gaza war and alleging that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) killed civilians during the Oct. 7 massacre. Ross also invoked the “Hannibal Directive,” claiming it led to civilian deaths, a point the outlet highlighted as a controversial conspiracy theory.
What was said
Andrew Ross told the crowd, “On October 7th, a mass Hannibal Directive was issued, and for the first time, it applied to civilians, Israeli civilians, and as a result, an untold number of them died at the hands of being targeted by IDF forces in vehicles that were being taken back to Gaza.” The New York Post also quoted a SJP member shouting, “Glory to the martyrs and victory to the resistance. Intifada intifada!” and urging participants to “keep the intifada alive.”
How it came about
The protests follow a series of campus demonstrations over the past year, including a September 27 protest against an anti‑Israel documentary at Lincoln Center and a civil‑rights lawsuit filed by pro‑Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil against Columbia University in mid‑September. These events reflect ongoing tensions on U.S. campuses surrounding the Israel‑Gaza conflict.
Key facts
- Hundreds of protesters gathered in Washington Square Park for a NYU SJP rally on Oct. 7, 2026. (nypost.com)
- Demonstrators at NYU and Columbia wore keffiyehs and chanted pro‑Palestinian slogans. (nypost.com)
- Professor Andrew Ross addressed the crowd, alleging the IDF’s Hannibal Directive caused civilian deaths. (nypost.com)
- A SJP member shouted “Glory to the martyrs and victory to the resistance. Intifada intifada!” during the protest. (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Anti-Israel protests break out across NYC, with Columbia, NYU students walking out on Oct. 7 anniversary”
