NYU said the Grand Staircase in the Kimmel Center for University Life will remain closed “due to the level of protest activity” near campus, which surged last semester after the start of the Israel-Hamas war. After closing the stairs on Oct. 12, the university originally provided no official statement on whether there were any plans to reopen the area, which students have previously used for protests and vigils. 

“Due to the level of protest activity in and around Washington Square Park since last fall, the university thought it a reasonable and balanced step,” NYU spokesperson Joseph Tirella said. “Given the Kimmel steps’ unusual openness, to restrict access to them in order to ensure students’ ability to continue to participate in all aspects of university life without fear for their safety.”

President Linda Mills announced in an Oct. 25 email an increase in campus safety and police presence at its Washington Square and Brooklyn campuses due to “safety concerns.” Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October, there have been several pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protests near campus, although most of these have been pro-Palestinian. 

“If they’re really concerned about protests, it’s going to happen eventually again when the stairs open,” first-year Kayvan Haghighi said. “They might as well just open it now.”

Tirella also said the university has chosen to close the stairs due to the distance between Kimmel’s entrance and the safety turnstiles in the building, allowing those who are not affiliated with NYU to easily access the stairs.

Senior Hannah Victoria Collins said she thinks the decision to close the stairs due to nearby demonstrations is not fair to students who wish to use the space to express their beliefs. 

“If it’s a peaceful protest, I don’t see how it can impact my safety,” Collins said. “This is just one of many poor reactions on NYU’s part to the demonstrations regarding what’s happening in Gaza.” 

Contact Graylin Lucas and Hope Pisoni at [email protected].