Late Tuesday night, the president of Columbia University ordered the NYPD to remove the protesters from campus.
Police established a strong presence outside the university before the cops began entering at 9 p.m.
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- 1 NYPD given permission to enter Columbia University campus
- 2 Columbia University President Minouche Shafik requests NYPD’s assistance with protests
- 3 Columbia University releases statement after NYPD enters campus
- 4 Columbia University student protesters arrested
- 5 What is happening at Columbia University?
A dramatic scene developed as the NYPD used a big vehicle with an extending ramp to penetrate a second-floor window of Hamilton Hall, which school officials claimed was occupied by demonstrators. Around 9:30 p.m., dozens of officers in helmets began entering the building through a window they had forced open. Additional officers approached campus on foot via the front gate.
Authorities used flash bangs to disorient demonstrators when they entered Hamilton Hall, according to the police. They stated that they did not use any tear gas.
WKCR, Columbia’s student radio station, was broadcasting live when authorities moved in.
Police said that demonstrators had barricaded the halls with soda machines, chairs, and other furniture. The NYPD released a video showing cops clearing chairs from a stairwell and forcing open a door to a room within the building. There appeared to be no students in the room.
Authorities reported that they arrested scores of people and destroyed three encampments. Authorities observed at least two New York City Department of Correction buses carrying protesters driving away from the school.
Police erected barricades around the university’s perimeter earlier Tuesday evening. Officers marched inside the college and brought out handcuffed students as protesters outside yelled “shame on you” and “free, free Palestine”.
The school posted an advisory Tuesday night advising students on the Morningside campus to “shelter in place for your safety due to heightened activity” and “avoid the area until further notice.”
Until further notice, only students living in on-campus residential structures, essential service personnel operating in campus buildings and labs, and essential residential student life employees will have access to the Morningside campus. To enter and exit campus, students and employees must utilize the gate located at 116th Street and Amsterdam.
Security staff will be available at the Wien Gate to assist those requiring special access to Wien Hall and East Campus.
According to the MTA, one train going in both directions is missing the 116th Street-Columbia University stop due to police activity. According to the MTA, customers should instead take the B or C trains to 116th Street.
NYPD given permission to enter Columbia University campus
Around 9 p.m. on Tuesday, a large number of NYPD officers were observed outside the campus gates.
According to a senior city official, the city has received a letter from Columbia authorizing them to deploy the NYPD on campus.
Several students were observed being escorted out in handcuffs. The exact number of arrests made remains unclear at this time.
Several NYPD buses were spotted parked on 114th Street to transport the individuals who had been arrested.
After a group of demonstrators forcefully entered Hamilton Hall and barricaded themselves inside on Tuesday, they continued their protest by smashing windows and doors. Throughout the day, the protesters refused to leave, with furniture being used to block the entrances. Supplies were even being delivered to those inside the building using a rope and pulley system.
Located across from the school’s main lawn, Hamilton Hall has been home to a tent encampment for approximately two weeks.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, along with local law enforcement officials, expressed their concern over the involvement of “outside agitators” who have “co-opted” the ongoing protests on the Columbia campus. During a press conference held on Tuesday, they appealed to the student protesters, urging them to peacefully vacate the area in order to prevent any further escalation of the situation.
Police had established barricades around the university’s perimeter earlier on Tuesday evening, attracting more protesters. Chants of “shame on you” and “free, free Palestine” resonated outside the campus while officers penetrated the premises.
Columbia University President Minouche Shafik requests NYPD’s assistance with protests
Columbia University President, Minouche Shafik, reached out to NYPD Deputy Commissioner, Michael Gerber, in a letter on Tuesday. In her letter, she requested the department’s aid in removing protesters from Hamilton Hall and the surrounding encampments.
Shafik stated, “We had no choice but to take action following the events on campus last night. After consulting with the University’s Trustees, it has become evident that the occupation of the building, the encampments, and the disruptions caused a significant threat to the safety of individuals, property, and the overall functioning of the University. Therefore, we have decided to exercise our emergency authority to protect everyone and everything involved. Regrettably, we are now requesting the assistance of the NYPD to clear all individuals from Hamilton Hall and the encampments on campus. As part of this process, we understand that the NYPD intends to use its LRAD technology to communicate the need for participants in the encampments to disperse.”
Shafik has also made a request for the NYPD to continue their presence on campus until May 17. The purpose of this request is to maintain order and prevent the reestablishment of any encampments.
Columbia University has set the date for its commencement on May 15.
Columbia University releases statement after NYPD enters campus
At 9:26 p.m., a statement was released by a university spokesman.
At around 9 p.m. tonight, the NYPD responded to a request from the University to ensure the safety and restore order within our community.
“We are disappointed that the protesters decided to escalate the situation with their actions. When we discovered that Hamilton Hall had been occupied, vandalized, and blockaded overnight, we had no other option. The Columbia public safety personnel were forced to leave the building, and one of our facilities team members was even threatened. We cannot compromise the safety of our community or allow the situation to escalate any further.”
Throughout the night and into the early morning, the leadership team, along with the Board of Trustees, held extensive meetings. They sought advice from security experts and law enforcement to devise a comprehensive strategy for safeguarding our students and the wider Columbia community. After careful deliberation, a decision was reached in the early morning: the situation required the involvement of law enforcement, and the NYPD was deemed the most suitable authority to assess and carry out an appropriate response.
Starting Tuesday morning, we implemented strict measures to limit the number of individuals present on Morningside campus. Throughout the day, we consistently informed our community about the availability of campus buildings and will continue to provide updates in the coming days.
On Tuesday morning, protesters took their actions to a concerning and unsustainable level. They engaged in destructive behavior, damaging property, breaking doors and windows, and blocking entrances. As a result, our facilities and public safety workers were forced to evacuate. In response, we are taking appropriate measures, as we have always stated we would. Our utmost concern is the safety of our community, with a special focus on our students.
Columbia University student protesters arrested
On April 18, University President Shafik requested the assistance of the NYPD after pro-Palestinian demonstrators had established an unsanctioned tent city on the university’s lawn. In a letter, Shafik expressed concern about the encampment and its disruptions, stating that they posed a significant threat to the university’s operations. Regrettably, the NYPD’s intervention was necessary to remove the individuals involved.
More than 100 individuals were apprehended by the authorities, with the majority receiving summonses for trespassing. Shafik emphasized that students involved in the incident would face suspension.
Over the next few days, the encampment was reestablished and continued to expand in size.
What is happening at Columbia University?
Columbia faces mounting pressure from pro-Palestinian protesters to divest from companies that engage in business with Israel.
School officials and student protest organizers engaged in discussions in an attempt to reach a mutually agreeable resolution that would result in the dismantling of the encampment. However, it was announced on Monday that the talks had reached an impasse.
Protesters defied the directive to pack up the tents by Monday afternoon and instead, they took matters into their own hands by forcefully entering Hamilton Hall.
According to the NYPD, individuals who were present inside Hamilton Hall may be charged with burglary, criminal mischief, and trespassing. Similarly, those who were part of the encampments could potentially face charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct.
According to Columbia University officials, students who remain inside Hamilton Hall may face expulsion, while those who refuse to leave the encampment are at risk of suspension. Furthermore, it has been stated that seniors may become ineligible to graduate.
President Shafik expressed her respect for students’ right to protest; however, she highlighted that the demonstration has created an unwelcome environment for some Jewish students and has become a distraction during final exams.
