Columbia University Students Label Veterans Day as 'Martyrs Day,' Criticizing US and Israel Relations
Veterans from the university held a counter-rally, calling student protests "disrespectful."
By
Columbia University saw a clash between students and veterans as both rallied for opposing sides.
During Veterans Day, Columbia's Apartheid Divest group, which protests the actions made by the US and Israel on Gaza, distributed flyers on the campus with a rename for the holiday.
According to Fox News, protestors called Veterans Day 'Martyrs Day' instead to honor lives lost in Gaza and reject US military actions as Israel's personal war machine. However, this was met with similar resistance from the veterans who studied at Columbia with a counter rally that celebrates Veterans Day as traditionally intended.
Former Columbia students and Air Force veterans who joined the opposite rally stated that these actions reflected a deep-seated hostility towards veterans, which many felt was disrespectful, especially since previous demonstrations against them were laced with derogatory language.
Read more: New York College Student Admits to Spreading Anti-Semitic 'Art Canvases' Around Campus, Police Say
Veterans Raise Concerns with Columbia University Administration
In return, the veterans from the university have raised their concerns with the administration, saying that the group's action negatively impacted their mental health, citing the recent suicide of a fellow veteran who faced the hostile environment of the campus.
Local leaders went on to criticize the anti-Veterans Day protest, calling it disrespectful as well. Queens Councilman Robert Holden and others have urged Columbia to prevent divisive events that will undermine respect for veterans and their service to the country.
As a response to discussions from key figures, Columbia University issued a statement of support for its veterans. The institution expressed appreciation for its contributions towards bringing peace to the USA and also clarified that it would monitor the protest to prevent disruptions to campus activities.
Notably, in a previous report by the University Herald, students who participated in pro-Palestine protests have been vocal in raising their voices, even if it means disrupting activities on campus. For them, the limit is the sky when it comes to bringing forth attention to the US-Israel war on Gaza.
