New York, United States - November 11, 2024 A video shared by X user @LishiBaker on November 11th captured a charged scene at Columbia University, where a student-led protest aimed to “reclaim” Veterans Day in honor of Palestinians killed in Gaza. The demonstration, labeled “Martyrs Day,” was met with swift pushback from student-veterans determined to counter the event. Around 30 Columbia student-veterans and supporters assembled at the campus sundial early Monday morning, planting American flags and creating a lively scene with music and a football toss. This show of patriotism was organized to draw attention back to Veterans Day and support those attending the Veterans Day Parade. “The main goal was to take oxygen away from it and focus on the veterans,” said Sam Nahins, a 31-year-old Air Force veteran and graduate student who helped lead the event. Across the quad, a smaller group of protestors sat in front of the library, echoing calls for solidarity and remembrance for those who, as one statement put it, “resisted, whether violently or non-violently.” The rival gatherings highlighted the deep divisions over what Veterans Day signifies on campus.