Anti-Israel protesters at Columbia University are expected to intensify their efforts, resulting in a 'crescendo of intimidation' as the school faces another setback.

The anti-Israel protests on Columbia University's campus, which have caused division, continued unabated as the new semester began on Tuesday.

Demonstrators gathered at the gates of the New York City Ivy League on the first day of the term this week, with an NYPD police drone hovering overhead. Despite at least two arrests, the agency classified the gatherings as "peaceful."

William Jacobson, a Cornell Law professor and the president of Legal Insurrection Foundation and EqualProtect.org, informed Planet Chronicle Digital that he did not anticipate a quick improvement in campus relations.

He predicted that as we get closer to October 7, there will be a rise in intimidation and hostility, similar to what happened during Hamas' attack on southern Israel in 2008, where Palestinian fighters took hostages, killed civilians and committed other war crimes.

"Celebrations have already been planned by protesters for that day."

He stated that the presence of a cult on campus poses a dangerous and challenging situation.

Nemat Shafik, Columbia's former president, resigned last month due to the toll her handling of protesters on campus took on her family. After serving as the school's third president in just eight months, Shafik called in hundreds of armed police officers to arrest over 30 protesters who had barricaded themselves inside an academic building, sparking controversy.

Katrina Armstrong, the interim president, is responsible for maintaining order on the troubled campus. Since assuming her role, new rules and adjustments have been implemented to manage the conflict, as stated in the updated code of conduct of the school.

New signs and guards have been placed on the school's south lawns, and gates to the campus have been closed under a new system that restricts access to students, with only those with Columbia IDs and preregistered guests allowed to enter. Officials have set up fences and gates on wheels around campus, which will be used to cordon off small areas. According to Reuters, camping is now banned on the school's campus.

Columbia University ranked 251st in the annual College Free Speech Rankings by the non-profit Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression, just one spot above the bottom.

According to the group's survey, for every conservative student on campus, there are five liberal students. Sixty-six percent of survey respondents reported that they had self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.

Since October 2023, a "doxxing truck" has been present near my campus, where students who criticize Israel are identified by their full name and a large picture under the label "Antisemite of the Week" on a digital screen, according to a rising junior who participated in a survey.

The student stated that they have reported the issue to the administration several times, but no action was taken for months. Additionally, friends of theirs have lost jobs and internship opportunities due to their political beliefs.

Another student stated that "most professors and classes take progressive ideas for granted" and that "most of the curriculum is designed to align with this perspective . . . students who share this viewpoint are accommodated."

According to Jacobson, based on his experience at Cornell and what he has heard from Columbia students, a significant portion of protest culture is "faculty-driven," with professors "living out a fantasy that they're very revolutionary."

He stated, "In reality, they are quite career-oriented and bourgeois. They do not sacrifice themselves at all, but instead expect the students to do so."

The Antisemitism Task Force at Columbia University released its second report, detailing the harassment experienced by students with Jewish faith on campus.

"A student wearing a traditional head covering told the task force that their friends have been spat on and called terrible names on campus. They also shared that a close friend of theirs was labeled a lover of genocide and baby killing just a few days after October seventh."

The 91-page report revealed that more students experienced hostility, resulting in pain.

"Jacobson stated that the report and low free expression ranking both exhibit denialism, just like October 7. He believes this is a positive development, even though it may not lead to positive change, as it allows people to acknowledge what is happening."

"Jacobson stated that it would not be surprising if schools with the highest levels of activism had the least free expression. He explained that the activism was intended to be intimidating, and that these were not protests aimed at having a debate, but rather at stifling one."

Interim president Armstrong reiterated a portion of a recent message sent to students when asked for comment by Planet Chronicle Digital on the purported lack of free expression on campus.

"Armstrong wrote that everyone must feel engaged, valued, and included, and that their voices matter. Protests must be managed fairly and effectively, which requires balancing two truths: the importance of free speech and open debate, and the need for an environment free of harassment and discrimination where students can learn. It is clear that holding these two truths requires understanding and implementing policies, rules, and procedures, just as it does in society."