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Columbia and CCNY. After plans for extensive anti-Israel protests trickled out at Columbia University and City College of New York, the actual protests ended up being minimal. Following NBC reporting on a meeting held to plan a demonstration, Columbia issued a warning
against any violations of school rules, and no sizeable protests occurred. Across the city at CCNY, dozens of masked anti-Israel protesters gathered. The school then closed its gates and prevented people from entering the school. Hillel at City College criticized the CCNY protest, noting that it took place on Yom HaShoah and that “What unfolded today was not a call for justice — it was the normalization of hate and antisemitism, masked as activism.”
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Protesters at CCNY gates. (Source: Hillel of CCNY | Instagram) |
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Harvard. In a demonstration near the Harvard University campus last week, students and other protesters shouted accusations blaming Harvard for not being sufficiently anti-Israel, the U.S. for being “a leading partner in this genocide” and Israel for its military action against Hamas.
They were occasionally drowned out by pro-Israel counterprotesters who were loudly playing audio on speakers that accused the protesters of providing support to Hamas. The demonstrators later climbed a gate of the university to post banners, including one criticizing Harvard for being aligned with Zionists.
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Counterprotesters outside Harvard. (Source: Harvard Crimson) |
🎟️ Join us tomorrow, April 30, at 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT for an online conversation with ADL and the Harvard Jewish Alumni Association to explore the ongoing challenges related to campus antisemitism and how alumni and institutions can respond. What policies and procedures have been most effective? How have alumni sought to engage the universities and what has worked? This event is open to all.
Register here.
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St. Mary’s. Twenty anti-Israel students at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA occupied the campus chapel, with eight launching a hunger strike, demanding the university disclose its investments and divest from companies supporting Israel. While the administration engaged in dialogue with the students, no immediate plans were made to clear the protesters from the chapel.
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Columbia. Two Columbia University janitors have filed a federal lawsuit
against over 40 students and alleged outside agitators following the occupation of Hamilton Hall in late April 2024. The suit accuses the defendants of battery, assault, conspiracy to violate civil rights and holding the janitors against their will while subjecting them to antisemitic slurs like "Jew-lovers." The lawsuit details how masked protesters allegedly broke into the building, barricaded exits, threatened the janitors and caused physical injuries and ongoing PTSD that has prevented both men from returning to work; it further claims the takeover was a highly coordinated action.
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The Costs of Protests. A new report from the Middle East Forum (MEF) estimates that anti-Israel protests following Hamas’ 10/7 attack have cost the U.S. economy over $1.5 billion. The study,
released April 14, calculates prolonged disruptions in areas such as lost business revenue ($1.19B), law enforcement costs ($97.3M) and property damage ($33.1M). The authors say this is the first direct analysis of the economic toll of anti-Israel activism. “There will be lawsuits… this report will act as a clarion call,” said MEF’s Gregg Roman. The protests, often centered on college campuses, coincide with documented surges in antisemitic activity.
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Savannah College of Art and Design. An alarming party flyer circulated online last week appeared to invite Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) students to a party with the phrase “No Jews”
hidden in its design. While the flyer triggered immediate condemnation from SCAD Hillel, Chabad, and the Savannah Jewish Federation, an investigation later revealed the post came from someone not enrolled at SCAD, and no such event occurred. Despite the hoax, campus and community leaders praised the university’s swift, serious response. SCAD reiterated its commitment to student safety, while the Federation applauded the administration and national Jewish organizations for their support.
👉 TAKE ACTION: As the Senate prepares to take up the Antisemitism Awareness Act, ADL is urging supporters to contact their senators and demand its swift passage. The bill is laser-focused on the rise of antisemitism in higher education and aims to ensure that Jewish students are afforded the same protections as their peers. With campuses becoming hotbeds of hostility and harassment, this legislation is a crucial step toward accountability and safety. Take action now. | 
