Hundreds of New York police officers have begun to storm into the Columbia University grounds, where campus protesters have occupied Hamilton Hall since Monday night, tying doors shut with ropes and blocking entrances with furniture.
Live footage of the event, broadcast by CNN, showed the helmeted officers met by angry protesters, shouting and chanting, outside Hamilton Hall.
Activists have renamed the building “Hind’s Hall” in honour of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli tanks in Gaza as paramedics tried to rescue her.
These Columbia students face expulsion, spokesperson Ben Chang said on Tuesday. New York mayor Eric Adams also addressed protesters directly, telling them “this must end now,” CNN reported.
Pro-Palestinian student protests have swept the country, and dozens of schools now have encampments.
University administrations have called riot police onto campus in multiple states, resulting in hundreds of arrests and violent encounters between students and law enforcement.
At California State Polytechnic Institute, Humboldt, police arrested 35 people on Tuesday after pro-Palestinian protesters barricaded themselves inside school buildings for over a week, while some 30 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill the same day.
Live: pictures from the scene at Columbia University
The Independent’s Richard Hall is on the scene, as hundreds of NYPD officers have begun to enter the Columbia campus and arrest protesters.
Mike Bedigan1 May 2024 02:22
Columbia students still occupying Hamilton Hall on campus
Live footage showed Columbia students still occupying the Hamilton Hall building on the university campus.
Students were seen hanging out of windows on the first floor of the building, waving Palestinian flags, and chanting “shame on you”.
Footage also showed individuals being led away with their hands tied behind their backs with zip-ties.
Mike Bedigan1 May 2024 02:18
Columbia faculty staff release statement as NYPD gather outside campus
Columbia faculty have released a statement online as hundreds of NYPD officers gathered at the campus on Tuesday evening.
“At this hour, the NYPD is massing on barricaded streets outside the gates of Columbia University. Columbia faculty have spent the day offering our help to defuse the situation on Columbia’s campus and have been rebuffed or ignored,” the statement said.
“We have been locked out of our campus and have demanded to be allowed back in, and have been rebuffed or ignored. This is not new. Columbia faculty have attempted for the past two weeks to intervene in the situation, only to be shut out by senior University leadership.
“NYPD presence in our neighborhood endangers our entire community. Armed police entering our campus places students and everyone else on campus at risk.
“That is why University statutes require consultation with faculty — statutes which appear to have been ignored since April 17, and again tonight. We hold University leadership responsible for the disastrous lapses of judgment that have gotten us to this point.
“The University President, her senior staff, and the Board of Trustees will bear responsibility for any injuries that may occur during any police action on our campus.”
Mike Bedigan1 May 2024 02:15
NYPD officers enter Columbia Campus
Hundreds of NYPD officers have begun to enter the Columbia campus.
Live footage of the event, broadcast by CNN, showed the helmeted officers met by angry protesters, shouting and chanting, outside Hamilton Hall.
The building was renamed “Hind’s Hall” by demonstrators in honour of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli tanks in Gaza as paramedics tried to rescue her.
Mike Bedigan1 May 2024 02:13
ICYMI: Students occupying Hamilton Hall face expulsion, Columbia University spokesperson says
Pro-Palestinian student protesters occupying Hamilton Hall on Columbia University’s New York City campus face expulsion, a university spokesperson said.
“Protesters have chosen to escalate to an untenable situation – vandalizing property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances – and we are following through with the consequences we outlined yesterday,” university spokesperson Ben Chang said.
“Students occupying the building face expulsion,” Mr Chang contniued.
“This is about responding to the actions of the protesters, not their cause,” Mr Chang said. “As we said yesterday, disruptions on campus have created a threatening environment for many of our Jewish students and faculty and a noisy distraction that interferes with teaching, learning, and preparing for final exams, and contributes to a hostile environment in violation of Title VI.”
Katie Hawkinson1 May 2024 02:00
Columbia issues ‘shelter in place’ warning to students as NYPD closes in
Columbia University has issued the following text message to its student, as officers from the NYPD gather outside the campus, reported via CNN.
“Shelter in place for your safety due to heightened activity on the Morningside campus. Non-compliance may result in disciplinary action. Avoid the area until further notice.”
Mike Bedigan1 May 2024 02:00
WATCH: People react to Columbia protests as week three of encampment nears
Columbia University’s student encampment in support of Gaza began on 17 April and sparked a nationwide wave of student activism.
Columbia’s gated campus has tightened security, leaving many protesters without access to the inside. As the protests leak out into the streets of the Upper West Side, New Yorkers and tourists alike have been stopping to watch.
A prospective student told The Independent he traveled from Greece to visit the university. “But it’s impossible,” he said.
“Students have historically been a catalytic force in shaking up society,” said Raymond Lotta, who came to support the protesters.
People react to Columbia protests as week three of encampment nears
Columbia University’s student encampment in support of Gaza began on 17 April and sparked a nationwide wave of student activism. Columbia’s gated campus has tightened security, leaving many protesters without access to the inside. As the protests leak out into the streets of the Upper West Side, New Yorkers and tourists alike have been stopping to watch. A prospective student told The Independent he traveled from Greece to visit the university. “But it’s impossible,” he said. “Students have historically been a catalytic force in shaking up society,” said Raymond Lotta, who came to support the protesters.
Josh Marcus1 May 2024 01:45
Columbia staff call decision to allow police on campus ‘disastrous’ ahead of likely NYPD raid
Columbia faculty affiliated with the American Association of University Professors heavily criticised university administrators for allowing NYPD onto campus to remove pro-Palestinian protesters.
“Armed police entering our campus places students and everyone else on campus at risk,” a statement from the AAUP read.
“We hold University leadership responsible for the disasterous lapses of judgement that have gotten us to this point.”
Josh Marcus1 May 2024 01:30
ICYMI: Hundreds of faculty at Texas school sign letter of no confidence in university president
More than 500 faculty members at the University of Texas, Austin have signed a letter of no confidence in school president Jay Hartzell.
The school’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors sent the letter to the Faculty Council on Monday, The Texan reports.
The letter condemns Mr Hartzell’s decision to call police to campus last week over pro-Palestinian student protests. Officers arrested more than 50 protesters.
“Not only did the University administration quell a peaceful protest and teach-in on the Gaza war by students, staff, and faculty, it endangered the entire campus community,” the letter reads. “Your email from the same evening claims that you were protecting University functions, yet the aggressive police activity was far more disruptive of daily University functions than the planned activities could have been.”
Josh Marcus1 May 2024 01:30
Why have Columbia students renamed the college hall they occupied Hinds Hall?
After moving through the building, student protesters unfurled a banner over Hamilton Hall’s fascade. The banner read “Hinds Hall”.
The little girl had phoned emergency services and, over a period of more than three hours, begged for help after her family were killed around her in the car they were using to try to escape the war zone. Paramedics did arrive – but days later their ambulance was found destroyed near Hind’s family’s car. Two emergency workers were found dead.
Get all the details in our full story.
Josh Marcus1 May 2024 01:25
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