Story perspectives

Cornell cancels Oct. 17 homecoming concert amid protests

By Drooid · Oct 13, 2026, 2:53 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Cornell University canceled the Oct. 17, 2026 homecoming concert after student protests supporting Jane Doe.
Ticket holders will receive refunds of $17 within seven to ten business days.
Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor for the case.
Ithaca Common Council imposed a temporary event-permit moratorium on Cornell until Nov. 5, 2026.
The commission will stage a charity concert with student performers, donating proceeds to RAINN.

History

Historical Context

Columbia University’s April 1968 student occupations of Hamilton Hall and other buildings drew NYPD troops who cleared the sites and arrested more than 700 protesters, forcing the university to drop its Institute for Defense Analyses affiliation and abandon a segregated gym plan. The April 2024 Gaza-solidarity encampment faced a comparable police raid, prompting Governor Kathy Hochul to name a special prosecutor.

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Story summary

Cornell University canceled the Oct. 17, 2026 homecoming concert after student protests supporting Jane Doe.
Ticket holders will receive refunds of $17 within seven to ten business days.
Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor for the case.
Ithaca Common Council imposed a temporary event-permit moratorium on Cornell until Nov. 5, 2026.
The commission will stage a charity concert with student performers, donating proceeds to RAINN.

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