Cornell Students Stage Sit-in to Protest University's Handling of Alleged 2024 Gang Rape

Cornell Students Stage Sit-in to Protest University's Handling of Alleged 2024 Gang Rape

Ground News

Oct 8, 2026

Organizers say the protest is part of a campus economic blackout and will include teach-ins and resource sharing as officials face renewed scrutiny.

On Wednesday, Cornell University students launched a seven-hour sit-in at Toni Morrison Dining Hall to protest the administration's response to sexual assault allegations, seeking "meaningful change" at the Ivy League institution.

The protest follows a civil lawsuit filed last month by former student Jane Doe, alleging she was sexually assaulted by seven Chi Phi members in 2024; the accused men have denied the allegations.

Organizers labeled the demonstration "Zero Day," a campus-wide economic blackout calling students to avoid classes and campus spending to demand institutional accountability and policy changes.

University officials announced Tuesday that Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates will lead a probe examining Cornell's "policies, practices and resources" regarding sexual misconduct, following faculty resolutions seeking a no-confidence vote.

Separately, New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to oversee a criminal investigation into the 2024 allegations, intensifying pressure on university leadership.