Columbia University alumni burnt and ripped up their diplomas in protest against the institution’s alleged cooperation with the Trump administration and its stance on the situation in Gaza on Wednesday (May 21).
Protesters held signs reading “FREE MAHMOUD” and “FREE PALESTINE.”
David Dubnau, an alumnus who received his PhD in molecular biology in 1960, expressed his shame over Columbia’s “cowardly cooperation with the Trump regime” and their alleged suppression of freedom of speech. He also accused the university of being complicit in the “genocide” in Gaza.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Pam Sporn, a parent of a 2009 Barnard College graduate, who lambasted the institutions for their treatment of students protesting the situation in Gaza.
Josh Dubnau, a Columbia alumnus who received his PhD in genetics in 1995, praised the student protestors and criticized the university administration. He accused the university of capitulating to the Trump administration and of aiding in the detention and deportation of students.
Both David and Josh Dubnau called for increased awareness of the ongoing situation in Gaza and the threats to the right to protest in the country. They also urged Columbia to divest itself from any complicity in the Middle East conflict.
The protest also saw scuffles and arrests.
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