Photo does not show Jewish students blocked from Columbia

Pro-Palestinian protesters in the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” have occupied Columbia University’s lawn for nearly three weeks, refusing to move until the university divests its finances from Israel amid the war in Gaza. 

But some photos shared on social media misleadingly claim to depict scenes from Columbia’s campus protests.

An April 24 X post showed two juxtaposed photos — one it says was taken in 1938 and shows, “Nazi’s block Jewish students from entering Vienna University.” The other it says was taken in 2024 and shows “Palestinian activists block Jewish students from entering Columbia University.” 

The comparison, however, falls short.

Although the first photograph does show Nazi officers stopping Jewish students from entering a building in Vienna University in 1938, the second photo is not from 2024, nor does it depict activists stopping Jewish students from entering campus. 

Columbia Journalism School students found that the photo was taken by The Associated Press on Oct. 12, 2023. The photo’ s caption reads, “Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather for a protest at Columbia University.” 

Other photos from The Associated Press of the Oct. 12 protest do not show activists blocking Jewish students from campus. The photos show protesters marching through campus while waving Palestinian flags and chanting. Photos also captured pro-Israeli demonstrators holding a protest the same day on Columbia’s campus.

We searched Google and the Nexis news database and did not find documented instances of protesters blocking Jewish students from entering Columbia’s campus in 2024. 

We rate the claim that this photo shows Palestinian activists blocking Jewish students from entering Columbia University False.