Protesters hand out Columbia Intifada newspaper on Oct. 7 anniversary
On the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, demonstrators gathered outside Columbia University to chant slogans and distribute a student-produced newspaper titled Columbia Intifada. The publication, linked to the suspended Students for Justice in Palestine group, includes content praising Hamas and justifying the attack. Columbia University condemned the materials and launched an investigation.
The protest occurred on October 7, 2025, outside the gates of Columbia University in New York City, marking two years since the Hamas attack that killed Israeli citizens, including at the Nova music festival. Around 100 protesters participated, many wearing garb that covered their faces except for their eyes. Organizers distributed free masks and threw stickers from inside campus windows to supporters. Chants of 'From the river to the sea' and 'Free Palestine' filled the air on 116th Street and Broadway, met by a few pro-Israel countervoices after about 30 minutes.
The demonstrators handed out the four-page 'Columbia Intifada' newspaper, produced by the Columbia chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). The front-page article, 'Hamas: A Brief History,' describes the event as 'two years since the people of Gaza tore down the fences of their modern concentration camp.' The paper features anonymous authors, color printing, and branding resembling the university's Columbia Spectator. A disclaimer states: 'Columbia Intifada is not affiliated with the terrorist, imperialist, Nazi-Zionist, colonizing, gentrifying, pig-love, genocidal, war-profiteering “institution” known as Columbia University.' It also notes affiliation with 'Columbia University [Students for Justice in Palestine] SJP.'
Columbia's SJP was suspended in November 2023 for violating policies against promoting violence. In March 2024, the New York Civil Liberties Union and Palestine Legal sued the university, but the New York Supreme Court ruled in Columbia's favor in November 2024, upholding the suspension. The group receives no university funding and cannot reserve campus space, though its social media remains active. It is unknown who currently produces the newspaper.
A university spokesperson told Fox News Digital: 'Invoking Columbia’s name to glorify violence is a breach of our values. We are aware of the materials that were distributed off campus yesterday and are investigating the matter.' The spokesperson added: 'Discrimination and promoting violence or terror is unacceptable and antithetical to what our community stands for.'
Protest organizers instructed participants not to speak to the press, directing inquiries to those wearing grey armbands, but none were provided when requested. SJP did not respond to Fox News inquiries. Sam Markstein, spokesperson for the Republican Jewish Coalition, criticized the group, saying: 'The Columbia SJP are not only the scum of the earth, they are nauseatingly anti-semitic, wildly factually wrong... dimwitted losers and cowards.'