Columbia Cancels Classes After Protest Disruptions

NEW YORK - Columbia University has cancelled all classes and campus activities for the remainder of the week after a series of disruptive protests and occupations by students and environmental activists marking Earth Day.

The prestigious Ivy League school in Manhattan was brought to a standstill on Monday as hundreds of demonstrators barricaded themselves inside several campus buildings, including the main administrative offices. The protesters are demanding that Columbia take stronger action on climate change, divest all investments related to fossil fuels, and transition to 100% renewable energy sources by 2030.

“We respect the right to free speech and peaceful protest, but the ongoing occupations have significantly disrupted university operations and created an unsafe environment for students, faculty and staff," said Columbia President Lee Bollinger in a statement announcing the suspension of classes. "We cannot effectively provide an atmosphere conducive to teaching and learning under the current circumstances.”

The protests began early Monday morning as part of the global Earth Day demonstrations calling for urgent measures to address climate change and environmental degradation. While the rallies on Columbia's campus began peacefully, tensions escalated when protesters blocked entrances to classroom buildings and the main library.

By afternoon, groups of activists had occupied the mathematics building, student center, and the lobby of the central administration offices, vowing not to leave until their demands were met. Video footage showed heated confrontations between university security personnel trying to remove demonstrators and those chaining themselves to railings and doorways.

The Columbia protests mirror similar actions at universities across the country, with students increasingly pressuring their institutions to take concrete steps beyond public statements and modest initiatives to combat climate change. Activists have been particularly critical of universities that continue to invest in the fossil fuel industry through their endowments.

University officials say they are committed to sustainability and have taken significant steps, including an ambitious Climate Action Plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. However, protesters argue these measures do not go far enough given the urgency and scale of the climate crisis.

As of Monday evening, demonstrators remained occupying several Columbia buildings, with both sides dug in for a potential prolonged stalemate. The university said normal operations would remain suspended through the end of the week, with final exams potentially being postponed depending on how long the disruptions continue.