Several Washington, D.C. residents and students at George Washington University (GWU) told Fox News Digital that they felt unsafe on campus and expressed concern about the escalation of pro-Palestinian student protests.

College campuses across the nation are seeing a surge in radical, pro-Hamas activism, reminiscent of the violent Antifa protests of 2020 and 2021. This brand of activism is not new. It's structured, militant, and often escalates quickly, fostering environments where, in this case, antisemitism can thrive unchecked. What we’re seeing unfold is a worrying echo of the Antifa-led disruptions during the Black Lives Matter movement, which often spiraled into violence and chaos.

At Columbia University, activists broke into Hamilton Hall, unfurling banners with messaging that declared, "Glory to the martyrs" and "Tortuguita lives, the fight continues" (a reference to accused would-be cop killer Manuel Paez Terán). Students broke into and barricaded themselves in Portland State University’s Millar Library where they stocked up on supplies, planning to stay until they were forced out. And at the University of California, Los Angeles, a Jewish student was denied entry to the path he normally takes to class by masked activists, while a large mob armed with metal pipes and umbrellas (a tool of choice from Antifa because they also can obscure identities).

All of these activists were either wearing black bloc (an all-black "uniform") or concealing their identities with COVID-19-era masks that made it easier to get away with a crime. And they are supported by radical, young politicians, like Democrat Squad members New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

NORTH CAROLINA STUDENT SAID HE WOULD HAVE PROTECTED AMERICAN FLAG WITH HIS 'DEAD BODY' FROM 'MARXIST HORDE'

This movement has all the hallmarks of Antifa activism. And I should know: I covered the violence that created the deadly Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) in Seattle. In fact, students at the University of Washington set up a large autonomous zone, inspired by CHAZ, complete with a library, medic's table and supply depot.

Anti-Israel protesters hang signs from Columbia University in New York City on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

In my book, "What’s Killing America: Inside the Radical Left’s Tragic Destruction of Our Cities," I detail what I witnessed and learned about Antifa activists by infiltrating their marches, rallies and riots. These campus events follow........

© Fox News