On Tuesday night, over 100 people were arrested at Columbia University as police cleared an occupied school building and tent encampment. New York City Mayor Eric Adams claimed that “outside agitators” were leading students into more extreme tactics, citing a woman whose husband was supposedly convicted for terrorism. However, the woman in question, Nahla Al-Arian, denied these allegations, stating that she was not among the protesters who were arrested and has not been accused of any crime. Her husband, Sami Al-Arian, was arrested in 2003 but was never convicted of any charges, eventually being deported to Turkey in 2015.
Nahla Al-Arian, a retired elementary school teacher, visited Columbia but not to teach civil disobedience. She emphasized that the young Americans inspired her with their awareness of the situation in Palestine and their fight for justice. Her brief visit to the encampment led to false claims linking her to terrorism on social media, fueling a narrative that the pro-Palestinian movement at Columbia has been co-opted by external forces. Despite these allegations, student organizers denied any outside influences on their movement, stating that their actions were led by students who studied past protest tactics.
Mayor Adams, in media appearances, suggested that NYPD’s intelligence division had identified well-trained professionals among the protesters, one of whom was married to a person convicted of terrorism. He implied that the students had been taught by outsiders how to barricade themselves against police attempts to remove them. However, Adams did not provide specific details about these claims or the alleged involvement of outside groups in funding and organizing the encampment. The police also refused to give further information on the arrests and their connection to the university.
The group behind the encampment, Columbia University Apartheid Divest, defended their right to include people from outside the Ivy League in the global movement against apartheid. They criticized the use of the term “outside agitator” as a far-right smear to discredit coalition building and anti-racism efforts. Laila Al-Arian, a journalist who joined her mother at the encampment, condemned Mayor Adams’ comments, accusing him of appealing to racist instincts and portraying Muslims as dangerous outsiders. She highlighted the injustice of using her father’s legal battle to smear the students involved in the protest.
Despite the claims of external influences on the protests, student organizers at Columbia maintained that their actions were student-led and rooted in their fight for justice. The students openly acknowledged the participation of community members outside the university in their movement. They drew inspiration from past protest tactics, such as those used during the Vietnam War and civil rights movements. The narrative of outside agitators and terrorism links was vehemently denied by the student organizers, who emphasized their commitment to peaceful protest and solidarity with oppressed communities, especially in Palestine.
The incident at Columbia University reflects a broader pattern of law enforcement discrediting protests by invoking the presence of outside agitators, a tactic dating back to the Civil Rights movement. The false claims and allegations against Nahla Al-Arian highlight the dangers of misrepresenting individuals involved in protests and using baseless accusations to undermine legitimate movements. The response from student organizers and supporters shows a determination to continue advocating for justice and raising awareness about important issues, such as the situation in Palestine. As the protests at Columbia continue, the focus remains on the principles of justice, solidarity, and peaceful resistance against oppression.
