In response to President Minouche Shafik’s request for assistance in dispersing protesters from a pro-Palestinian encampment, New York City police officers, clad in riot gear, made numerous arrests at Columbia University on Thursday afternoon.
Law enforcement officers broke up a protest at New York's Columbia University, arresting over 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had occupied a campus lawn https://t.co/68UnQuOE8Z pic.twitter.com/MxCN08JtjW
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 19, 2024
In a letter sent to the NYPD, Shafik said “the encampment and related disruptions pose a clear and present danger” to the school.
“With great regret, we request the NYPD’s help to remove these individuals,” Shafik wrote.
The Columbia Spectator, the student-run newspaper of the school, reported that more than 100 individuals were taken into custody at the ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’ starting at approximately 1 pm.
Activists leading the protest and encampment at Columbia University are advocating for the university to divest from companies operating in Israel. Additionally, the protesters are calling for a cease-fire in Gaza and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
🇺🇸Hundreds of demonstrators at Columbia University protest against the NY police arrests of pro-Palestinian individuals, blocking police buses carrying the arrested students and calling for their immediate release.#USA #NY #ColumbiaUniversity #Palestine #protest #police pic.twitter.com/yTuiNbiU68
— Attentive Media (@AttentiveCEE) April 18, 2024
On the day following the Congressional hearing in Washington DC, where university leaders, including Shafik, expressed their concern about the increasing prevalence of antisemitism, a clash occurred at Columbia University.
In response to a question from a lawmaker, Columbia trustee Claire Shipman stated that there is a moral crisis occurring on our campus.
Despite the University’s warnings, the Gaza Solidarity Encampment will persist until Columbia University divests all financial ties, including its endowment, from companies that benefit from Israeli apartheid, the group asserted.
In a statement released on Thursday via Columbia University’s website, Shafeek remarked that seeking police assistance to disband the protest encampment constituted an exceptional measure due to the unique circumstances.
“This morning, I had to make a decision that I hoped would never be necessary,” she said.
In a related development, the daughter of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar faced suspension from Barnard College on Thursday due to her involvement in the Columbia University protest.
Isra Hirsi, age 21, wrote on social media, “Those of us in Gaza Solidarity Encampment will not be intimidated,” , “We will stand resolute until our demands are met.”
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