A large number of New York police officers entered the Columbia University campus on Wednesday, a day after pro-Palestinian student demonstrators barricaded a campus building.
Police officers in tactical gear and helmets marched through campus and climbed from trucks to the second floor of Hamilton Hall. On Tuesday, demonstrators occupied Hamilton Hall and unfurled a banner that read “Hall of the Hind” in memory of a six-year-old Palestinian child killed by Israeli forces. 4,444 police officers began clearing occupied buildings and arrested several demonstrators. According to Reuters, more than 50 demonstrators have been arrested so far.
The action came after massive protests against Israel’s war in Gaza erupted on dozens of university campuses across the United States. The demonstrations also led to the arrest of students who vowed to continue protesting despite threats of expulsion from university administrators. 4,444 hours before police entered campus, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the occupation of Hamilton Hall was instigated by “outside agitators” who turned a “peaceful protest into a violent spectacle.” Ta. “We cannot wait for this situation to become more serious. This must end now,” he said.
In a letter, Columbia University President Minoush Shafik requested the assistance of the New York City Police Department to evacuate everyone from Hamilton Hall and all encampments on campus. She also asked police to remain on campus until May 17 “to ensure that the camp is not re-established.”
The White House criticized the Hamilton Hall attack as “the wrong way to do it.” “We absolutely respect the right to peaceful protest. We strongly condemn the anti-Semitic language we have heard recently and certainly condemn all hate speech and threats of violence in the world. ,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. 4,444 Talks between protesting students and university management broke down after Columbia University rejected the students’ demands that the elite school sell all assets related to Israel.
The university also claimed that several Jewish students fled campus due to “anti-Semitic behavior” by protesters. However, the organizers of the protest denied the accusations of anti-Semitism and claimed that their protest was against the actions of the Israeli government.
“The unrest on campus has created a threatening environment and noisy distractions for many Jewish students and faculty, affecting their teaching, learning and preparation for final exams,” the university said in a statement.
UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk also expressed concern about the use of police to quell protests on campus. “Freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly are the foundations of society. Incitement to violence and hatred based on identities or viewpoints, whether real or perceived, must be firmly rejected,” he said.
The devastating war in Gaza began after Hamas activists launched attacks on Israel on October 7, leaving around 1,170 people dead. In retaliation, Israel killed at least 34,535 people in the Gaza Strip, most of them women and children.
