Columbia-to-CCNY March: Protesters Chant For 'Resistance,' Briefly Invoked Hamas, And Deliver Sweeping Demands To Mayor Mamdani

NEW YORK — Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at Columbia University Thursday evening for a "From Harlem to Gaza" march to express solidarity with Palestinians and press New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for major policy changes.

What Happened

The rally marked the second anniversary of the dismantling of Gaza Solidarity encampments at Columbia University and the City College of New York (CCNY), and recalled the 2024 takeover of Hamilton Hall at Columbia, where students hung a banner reading "Hind’s Hall," a reference to Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old killed in Gaza amid fighting involving the militant group Hamas. Attendees included students and outside supporters, many wearing keffiyehs and other symbols associated with the Palestinian movement. One marcher wore a "freeze the rent" button from Mamdani’s mayoral campaign even as the crowd criticized the mayor.

March And Police Presence

Speakers addressed the crowd outside Columbia’s gates before the group marched down Amsterdam Avenue from 116th Street to CCNY. NYPD officers escorted the procession and at times attempted to move participants from the roadway to the sidewalk; those efforts were not always successful. At CCNY, demonstrators remained behind police barricades to continue speeches and chants.

Chants, Language And A Brief Shift

Throughout the march, protesters used a range of chants, several of which drew controversy: "We don’t want no two states, we want ’48," "From Harlem to Gaza, globalize the intifada," and "Palestine is our demand, no peace on stolen land." Near the march’s end participants briefly chanted, "Say it loud, say it clear, we support Hamas here," a line that was quickly altered to "We support resistance here" after a short consultation among chant leaders when press were nearby.

"Mayor Mamdani, you were very comfortable in using the struggle of the liberation of Palestine to win the hearts of New Yorkers and to put you in office," a speaker said. "But now that you're in office, we will hold you accountable to your words."

Some marchers taunted officers during the escort, including chants directed at police and profanity used toward officers.

Demands Presented To Mayor Mamdani

Organizers read a list of demands aimed at the mayor and local institutions. Key demands included:

• Require CCNY to disclose all investments and divest from Israel, the Department of Homeland Security and prison labor; adopt a permanent ethical investment policy.
• Stop what protesters described as the "illegal sale" of Palestinian land in New York City.
• Remove NYPD Deputy Commissioner Jessica Tisch and dismantle the NYPD Strategic Response Group.
• Reimpose property taxes on Columbia University and New York University to fund public education.
• Abolish the CCNY Board of Trustees.

Notable Mentions And Political Context

A speaker relayed remarks from Elmina Aghayeva, a Columbia student who had been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and was later released after what the speaker described as a meeting between Mayor Mamdani and President Donald Trump. The protest also spotlighted continuing scrutiny of Mamdani’s comments and associations: his earlier refusal during the mayoral campaign to explicitly condemn the phrase "globalize the intifada," and his ties to outspoken critics of Israel, drew criticism from some quarters. A recent mayoral video promoting the Rent Guidelines Board featured a man wearing a keffiyeh, an image some opponents interpreted as politically symbolic.

Responses

Fox News Digital reached out to Mayor Mamdani’s office and the New York Police Department for comment; neither had responded at the time of publication.

Takeaway

The "From Harlem to Gaza" march underscored deep divisions in New York City over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, heightened scrutiny of mayoral politics, and ongoing tensions between activists and law enforcement.