Demonstrators Mark Second Anniversary of Hamas Attack Outside Columbia University

On October 7, 2023, which marks the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, a group of demonstrators convened outside Columbia University. They chanted phrases like “From the River to the Sea,” distributing newspapers entitled “Colombian Intifada,” which appeared to endorse the attacks on Israeli citizens at the Nova Music Festival.

The October 7, 2025 edition of the newspaper featured a front-page article titled “Hamas: A Brief History,” indicating that two years had passed since the people of Gaza allegedly broke free from what they described as a modern concentration camp.

This “Colombian Intifada” publication originated from Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a group that the university publicly criticized late last year. Columbia stated that the paper’s messaging, which appeared to glorify violence, contravened university policies.

Notably, the Columbia chapter of SJP ceased its operations in November 2023 after the New York Civil Liberties Union and Palestine Legal filed a lawsuit against the university in March 2024, claiming rights violations. However, this lawsuit resulted in a Supreme Court ruling favoring Columbia, keeping the group inactive since November 2024.

Despite the suspension, SJP’s social media presence remains active, raising questions about the current authorship and publication of the newspaper.

While Fox News Digital tried to reach out to the students involved with Palestine Justice at Columbia, they did not receive a response.

The “Colombian Intifada” paper matches the size of other print publications, comprised of four pages with vivid color layouts and published anonymously. It features a branding similar to the university’s own “Columbia Spectator.”

During the demonstration, newspapers were handed out at the campus gates, and stickers promoting the event were tossed from windows at the university. Notably, most of the roughly 100 participants wore clothing that obscured their faces, with organizers providing masks for those entering through metal gates intended to prevent escalation.

Amid this, some pro-Israel protesters shouted “Liberate Palestine” about half an hour into the gathering.

One of the speakers instructed the crowd not to engage with the media and insisted that only individuals wearing gray armbands should handle press inquiries. However, attempts by Fox News Digital to speak with those individuals were unsuccessful.

A spokesperson from the Republican Jewish Federation expressed strong criticism of SJP, labeling them “disgustingly anti-Semitic” and asserting that their ideas had become politically irrelevant.

Fox News Digital also reached out to Columbia University for comments but received no reply.