Hundreds gather as Ukrainian students lead protest following Russian invasion

Upper West Side NY

26 February, 2022

3:08 PM

Description

Columbia Daily Spectator BY ELIANA GOLDIN, DYLAN ANDRES, AND EMILY FORGASH FEBRUARY 24, 2022 Over 300 protesters gathered on Low Steps this afternoon to stand in solidarity with Ukrainian students in the wake of Russia's attacks on Ukraine this morning. The protest, initiated by Christian König, SIPA '23, sought to elevate the voices of Ukrainian students and offer the Columbia community a way to support them. "For me, and for all other Ukrainians, Ukraine is freedom," speaker Mariya Katsman, SIPA '23, said. "What happened today was an attack on freedom, what happened today is an attack against other European countries. [Ukraine] looks exactly like the United States, that looks exactly like any other European country." Russia's attack on the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Odessa, and Kharkiv, among others, comes after decades of tension between the two countries. After Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his intentions to levy a military operation in the Donbas region of Ukraine, at approximately 5 a.m. Eastern European Time today, residents and officials reported hearing explosions. Russian ground invasions, air raids, and naval missile strikes have since caused irreparable damage. All indicators suggest such harm will only intensify. "We are here to show solidarity with Ukraine, with our fellow students from Ukraine whose families and friends fear for their lives right now," König said in his introduction of the event's five speakers, all of whom were from Ukraine. Earlier today in a national address, President Joe Biden said, "Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences," before announcing "severe" and long-lasting economic sanctions on Russia. A speaker who requested anonymity for security reasons described the experiences of family members currently in Ukraine. She expressed fear for her parents, who live in Crimea, and worried that they would "likely never see them again in person." The speaker shared that she called and woke up her grandmother, who lives in Kyiv, early this morning to inform her that war had broken out. The grandmother reportedly described the shelling she heard outside her window as eerily reminiscent of her experiences during World War II. Another friend of hers, who gave birth just a few weeks ago, reportedly spent hours in traffic attempting to flee her home. Katsman expressed issues with the terminology being used to characterize these events. "Calling this a Ukrainian crisis is a crime. Because there is no crisis. It's not a conflict, conflict entails two parties," she said. "There [are] no two parties involved in this. There is one party that is [inflicting] aggression on my home." When asked why she chose to speak about this issue publicly, Tanya Zhurman, CC '25, another speaker at the protest, said that her voice is her "weapon," especially as she is physically apart from her family. "That's how we fight," she said. Following the speeches, one student, who has requested anonymity due to her Russian citizenship, said she came to the protest in order to stand in solidarity with Ukrainian students. During the speeches, she held up a poster she made, which read, "I am Russian. I stand with Ukraine." "I don't want the narrative around this to be that Russian people support war, and I want to show that people who are Russian want to support Ukraine, and they're on the side of freedom," she said. "I think it's important to be honest about what's going on, not to cover it up, and promote the truth." Speakers recommended steps for student action and asserted that Columbia has a responsibility to take action. "We are a massive, really important institution of higher learning and research in this country, and we need to be involved in political discussions in the U.S. and internationally," König said in an interview. Protest attendee Aranzazú Jorquiera, SIPA '23, said that it is Columbia's responsibility to "[raise] the voices of Ukrainian students, professors, [and] experts," especially given the number of Ukrainian students on campus. Earlier today, the University reached out to its Ukrainian student body by email, offering support and resources. David Austell, associate provost and director of the International Students and Scholars Office, wrote of "the deep concern which Columbia University and the ISSO have for you and your families and friends back home." The email included health and safety resources. Late Thursday night, University President Lee Bollinger issued a statement on the invasion of Ukraine. "Having been born in the shadow of the Second World War, having been educated, including at Columbia, in an era when totalitarianism and its evils were a principal subject of analysis and rejection, and having chosen a field in which intolerance is a defining characteristic always to be combatted, I cannot help but feel the intimations of the horrific human tragedy in the naked aggression we are witness to today against the country of Ukraine and its people," Bollinger wrote. "My thoughts are with them and with all who will suffer from these assaults." The speakers concluded their presentation by proclaiming "Slava Ukraini," which means "Glory to Ukraine." They explained to the audience that the response to this is "Heroiam Slava," meaning "Glory to Heroes." As they yelled "Slava Ukraini" to the crowd below, the attendees responded "Heroiam Slava," in overwhelming support. Staff writer Dylan Andres can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @Dyllandres. Staff writer Eliana Goldin can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow Spectator on Twitter @ColumbiaSpec. Staff writer Emily Forgash can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow Spectator on Twitter @ColumbiaSpec. Founded in 1877, the Columbia Daily Spectator is the independent undergraduate newspaper of Columbia University, serving thousands of readers in Morningside Heights, West Harlem, and beyond. Read more at columbiaspectator.com and donate here.