Recently, there has been a tremendous student movement on college campuses in the United States, and there has been a shocking scene at New York University -- a wall has been erected overnight! The students' actions escalated rapidly, causing widespread social concern. What's going on? Let's find out.
In April 2024, college campuses across the United States became a sea of demonstrations. At first, these demonstrations were sporadic student activities, but soon they merged into a national movement.
As the students learned more about the information, they felt anger and sympathy for the suffering of the Palestinian people. In particular, they expressed dissatisfaction with the continued support of Israel by the US government and some American companies.
At Columbia University, the situation first began to deteriorate. Some students organized a small protest demanding that the school publicly condemn the Israeli attack on Gaza and stop all business dealings with companies that supply weapons to Israel. The protest quickly gained support from other students and quickly spread to other universities.
Students at NYU were no exception, organizing strikes and hunger strikes. The response from the university has been unusually tough, with large police forces mobilized into the campus in an attempt to forcibly suppress the seemingly peaceful protests. The intervention of the police did not calm the situation, but caused more waves. Many students and staff were arrested, protest tents were removed, and entire campuses became frontlines of conflict.
As the protests escalated, NYU students discovered that the campus they loved had changed overnight. A high wall was quietly erected to block out the view of the outside world and prevent the outside world from seeing what was happening on campus. This wall is not only a physical separation, but also a symbolic blockade of ideas.
This practice caused more anger and resentment. Students began to rally in the streets outside the campus in solidarity with their arrested companions and continued to express their support for the Palestinian people. They held placards and chanted slogans, hoping that in this way, more people would know about and pay attention to the incident.
Some students expressed their determination and reasons in interviews that they believe that if even the universities called freedom and democracy cannot be on the side of justice, then they must step up. They stressed that this was not only a question of Palestine, but also of freedom of expression and academic freedom. Through their actions, the students hope to encourage more people to reflect on and pay attention to injustices in international politics.
Over time, the protests were not limited to NYU, and students from other schools began to express their support and dissatisfaction in similar ways. Social media became an important stage for the movement, and hashtags like #SupportPalestine #NYUWall quickly spread online and attracted attention around the world.
Various voices are raised on social networks. On the one hand, there are voices in support of the students' actions, believing that their actions are a strong defense of human rights, and on the other hand, there are also critics who believe that the students' actions are too radical and may have an impact on the day-to-day functioning of the school. However, it is undeniable that the movement has become a social topic that cannot be ignored.
In the midst of this turmoil, some well-known scholars and public figures have also begun to speak out. They expressed their support for the students' actions through various channels and considered the students' courage to be commended. At the same time, they also called on the Government and the international community to pay attention to the human rights situation in Palestine and promote peace and stability in the region.
Despite the tough attitude of the school and the pressure from the police, the students did not back down. On the contrary, this pressure seems to have strengthened their resolve. They began organizing more rallies and lectures, inviting experts and activists to come and outside the campus to explain the complexity and urgency of the Palestinian issue.
At New York University, the new wall became a symbol of protest. Students painted graffiti on both sides of the wall, painting doves of peace and olive branches as a way to express their desire for peace and protest against violence. This wall, which was meant to isolate and block it, has now become a canvas for the expression of calls for freedom and peace.
As the protests continued, universities across the country responded to the action, with the voices of students growing louder and their actions receiving more and more attention from society. The protests, which began on campus, are no longer just about students, they are about everyone who cares about justice, freedom and peace.
This movement has demonstrated the awakening and action of the younger generation, who are dissatisfied with the status quo and dare to speak out, and who demonstrate the pursuit of a fairer world through practical actions. And this wall, and the story behind it, will be recorded in history as the starting point for many future discussions and reflections.