New York Police Raid Columbia University to Disperse Pro-Palestinian Protesters
In a dramatic turn of events, hundreds of police officers descended upon Columbia University in New York City to quell pro-Palestinian protesters who had taken over a building on campus. The scene unfolded as police climbed ladders to enter Hamilton Hall and remove students, with reports of arrests.
Earlier, the university had warned the students to vacate the premises or face expulsion. The protesters were advocating for the university to divest from Israel due to the ongoing military operation in the Gaza Strip.
New York Police Department (NYPD) officers were granted permission to enter the hall by university authorities after the student demonstrators ignored a deadline to disperse. According to a BBC interview, approximately 80-100 police officers stormed the building.
Columbia University stated that they were left with no choice after the hall was “occupied, vandalized, and blockaded”. University president Minouche Shafik penned a letter to the NYPD requesting police assistance “with the utmost regret”.
As the raid commenced, officers utilized flashbang grenades to disorient the protesters, as reported by the BBC’s US partner CBS News. Some students claimed that police in riot gear manhandled demonstrators during the operation.
NYPD assistant commissioner of public information, Carlos Nieves, defended the officers, stating that the students had barricaded the doors with various items and obstructed windows with newspaper. CBS reported approximately 50 arrests in connection with the incident.
The scene at Columbia University drew a crowd of anti-war supporters, cheering as the arrested students were led away in zip ties. Chants of “Let them go!” filled the air as NYPD buses departed the campus, likely transporting the protesters.
Following the operation, the NYPD confirmed that the building was cleared with no reported injuries. The activists had been occupying a tent camp at the Ivy League school for nearly two weeks.
Protests Escalate Across US Universities
As tensions simmered, protests erupted at various universities across the US, demanding a boycott of entities with ties to Israel amid the conflict in Gaza. Police interventions were reported at City College of New York in Harlem, with multiple arrests.
Similar demonstrations unfolded in states like Texas, California, Georgia, North Carolina, Utah, Virginia, New Mexico, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Louisiana, leading to over 1,000 protester arrests. Clashes between opposing groups were witnessed at the University of California in Los Angeles.
Authorities engaged in negotiations with student activists while others resorted to police intervention. National figures, including President Joe Biden and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, weighed in on the escalating situation, urging for peaceful resolutions.
Amid the chaos, Congressman Jamaal Bowman criticized what he dubbed as “the militarization of college campuses” by law enforcement agencies. The unrest continues to challenge authorities and university administrations to navigate a delicate balance between free speech and public safety.
Source: BBC
