Columbia University has become a flashpoint of controversy again as leftist activists on campus plan to protest Veterans Day in favor of what they are calling “Martyrs Day”—an event they claim will “honor” those killed in Gaza and oppose the so-called “Israel-US war machine.” Organized by the unsanctioned student group Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the protest is scheduled for Veterans Day on Columbia’s main campus, just as Americans across the nation honor those who have served in the military.
The group’s flyers, now circulating widely on and off-campus, make their position clear: “We reject this holiday and refuse to celebrate it,” the flyer declares, claiming Veterans Day glorifies an “American war machine” that they believe causes “horrors” abroad. Instead, the protest calls for a “Martyrs Day” celebration, focusing on Palestinian “martyrs” in what they claim is solidarity against U.S. military support for Israel.
The planned event has struck a nerve, particularly among Columbia’s community of veterans, who feel this protest is not only a personal affront but a reflection of an increasingly hostile campus culture toward them. In response, Columbia’s veterans are organizing their own Veterans Day event, intending to counter what they see as a disrespectful distortion of a day meant to honor sacrifice, patriotism, and courage.
“These students have never hidden their disdain for veterans,” said Sam Nahins, a Columbia graduate student and Air Force veteran. Nahins, who’s spent years at the university, shared that this is part of a broader, escalating hostility that has made life difficult for Columbia’s large veteran community. Last year, Nahins recalls students dressing in jihadist attire and chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Western civilization”—actions that he said left many veterans feeling unsafe and unsupported on campus.
What concerns Nahins and others most is the impact these extreme stances may have on veterans’ mental health. Recently, Columbia tragically lost a student-veteran, former U.S. Marine Corps member Brandon Christie, who took his own life after struggling with the campus environment. For Nahins and his peers, this protest against Veterans Day feels not only tone-deaf but also a reckless disregard for the sacrifices made by American soldiers, some of whom paid the ultimate price defending the very freedoms that allow protests like this.
Nahins raised his concerns directly with Columbia’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, who took on the role after her predecessor resigned following escalating anti-Israel campus demonstrations that culminated in a violent campus protest earlier this year. Armstrong expressed a commitment to supporting Columbia’s veterans, but time will tell whether the administration will stand firm against increasingly radicalized elements on campus.
Columbia University, home to the largest veteran population among the Ivy Leagues, issued a statement affirming its pride in its student-veterans and the invaluable contributions they bring to campus life. “Columbia is proud of our students, faculty, and staff who are veterans, and we are grateful for their service and sacrifice,” a spokesperson said, noting that the university has proudly participated in the New York Veterans Day Parade for over a decade.
The planned protest has also drawn strong reactions beyond the university. Queens Councilman Robert Holden slammed the student organizers, calling their actions “disgraceful.” He voiced what many Americans likely feel, declaring, “These lunatics will not reclaim Veterans Day—not today, not ever.”
For those who value Veterans Day as a solemn recognition of those who have served, Columbia’s latest protest represents an alarming trend in elite academic institutions: a disdain for American values and a sympathy for hostile, anti-American narratives. Columbia’s veterans remain committed to honoring their fallen brothers and sisters and reminding the campus community of the true meaning of this holiday, even in the face of protests designed to tear it down.
