In a disturbing incident at Columbia University in New York City, pro-Palestine demonstrators were subjected to what is suspected to be a hate crime. The incident occurred during a march on campus on Friday, prompting an investigation by the New York Police Department (NYPD).

According to reports, participants in the pro-Palestine march reported being sprayed with a foul-smelling substance, leading to symptoms such as vomiting, headaches, and burning eyes. Some of the affected students sought medical treatment for their ailments. The university administration has taken swift action in response, banning the suspected perpetrators from campus while the police investigation takes place.

Columbia University's Provost Dennis Mitchell denounced the attack as "deeply troubling" in an email sent to faculty and students on Monday. He reassured the community that the university is committed to taking urgent action in collaboration with the appropriate authorities to address such cases.

The unsanctioned protest took place on the front steps of Columbia's Low Library, attracting approximately a dozen students. Witnesses reported a strong foul odor resembling sewage, resulting in physical symptoms and damage to personal belongings. The NYPD has confirmed receiving six reports related to the incident, including one from a 24-year-old woman who experienced nausea and burning eyes after coming into contact with an unknown substance.

As tensions between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel students continue to escalate on campuses nationwide in the wake of the Israel-Gaza war, this incident at Columbia University further intensifies the fraught atmosphere. Prior to this incident, a 19-year-old former student was charged with assaulting an Israeli student during a poster campaign in October. Additionally, pro-Palestinian students have faced online harassment and public marginalization, including a truck displaying their faces and names with accusations of being antisemites.

Notably, in November, Columbia University temporarily suspended the activities of two groups, Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voices for Peace, in an attempt to ease tensions on campus.

The NYPD has confirmed that no arrests have been made thus far, and the investigation into the incident is ongoing. Authorities are working diligently to identify those responsible for the assault on the pro-Palestine demonstrators.