Elected Officials Join Sixth Rally to Demand Columbia Reopen Gates

The Sixth Rally in Three Years

Thursday’s gathering outside Columbia’s 115th Street and Broadway gates marked the sixth “Open the Gates” rally in three years—a number that stands in stark contrast to the more than 70 years the public had walked freely through the University’s main entrance before the gates were locked in April 2024. The Morningside Heights Community Coalition organized the demonstration, and Columbia Daily Spectator reported that community advocates, residents, students, faculty, and local politicians once again pressed the University to restore public access to College Walk.

The closure began after the April 2024 “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” and has remained in place ever since, barring only a brief reopening in summer 2024. What began as a security measure has evolved into a prolonged standoff, with the University introducing limited access programs for nonaffiliates while maintaining the broader lockdown.

A Letter Demands Swift Action

This time, the pressure has escalated beyond grassroots activism. On Oct. 23, City Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu, CC ’14, joined the MHCC in authoring a letter to University President Jennifer Mnookin that restated the expectation that Columbia will “provide swift and concrete action toward reopening the gates.” The letter also invited Mnookin to collaborate on organizing a community meeting to discuss the ongoing closures.

Rally held to reopen Columbia University to public

“Last week, I joined the Morningside Heights Community Coalition in leading a letter to Columbia leadership making clear that we expect swift, concrete action towards re-opening the gates, as well as a community meeting,” Abreu said. “The chorus of neighbors, students, and community partners is only growing louder, and I’m grateful to be part of such a strong coalition. We are not going to let up until the gates are open. Columbia should be ashamed.”

The letter drew signatures from a broad coalition of civic leaders: Community Board 9 Chair Victor Edwards, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, State Sen. Cordell Cleare, Assembly member-elect for District 69 Eli Northrup, and U.S. Representative-elect for Congressional District 13 Darializa Avila-Chevalier, CC ’16. Cleare and Northrup both attended Thursday’s rally, signaling that the issue has moved firmly into the political mainstream.

“Today, the message is simple: open up the gates and let the community have access to College Walk,” Cleare said. “It’s been far too long and the cure is now clearly worse than the affliction it was supposed to be controlling for back in 2023.”

Mayor Warns University of Protest Risks

The rally comes as Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has sharpened its stance. In September, the Mayor’s office threatened legal action against the University if College Walk is not “immediately” opened to the public. That threat hangs over negotiations even as Mnookin addresses the issue at a University Senate plenary, warning that nonaffiliates could use the campus as a “performative protest space” if the gates are reopened.

Students walk down paved pathway college campus autumn bustling campus with students walking class

On Tuesday, Mnookin announced the members of a relaunched campus advisory committee meant to address access concerns. Three longtime community leaders sit on the group: Victor Edwards, Gussie Kappner, BC ’66, SSW ’74, SSW ’85, board member on the MHCC, and Dave Robinson, president of the MHCC—both of whom helped lead Thursday’s protest. The inclusion of rally organizers on the committee suggests an attempt at dialogue, though the crowd remained skeptical.

More than 15 speakers addressed the crowd, which waved homemade posters and a three-dimensional cardboard lock and key. In the latter half of the rally, attendees sang an original song with the chorus: “Open up, Columbia! Don’t make us walk around/ From Broadway to Amsterdam, no reason can be found/ Listen up Columbia, Free Speech is not a sin/ It’s time for you to open up and let the people in.”

Coalition Pushes Toward Signature Deadline

Organizers are channeling the momentum into concrete metrics. The MHCC’s petition has secured 4,707 signatures so far, with a target of 5,000 by the coalition’s next major event. To keep the conversation going, the group will hold a town hall at the Bank Street College of Education on Nov. 18, where the newly formed advisory committee has released a form for affiliates, community members, and other interested parties to share their thoughts on campus access. Speakers at Thursday’s rally expressed hope that this could be the final demonstration, but resolved to continue fighting until the gates swing open.