New York City police. late on Tuesday, conducted a raid at Columbia University, resulting in the arrest of dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had taken control of an academic building and the removal of a protest encampment that the university had been attempting to dismantle for nearly two weeks.
Following the police action, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik released a letter requesting that police remain on campus until at least May 17, two days after graduation, to maintain order and prevent the re-establishment of encampments.
According to a police spokesperson, the campus was cleared of protesters within three hours of the raid, with “dozens” of arrests being made.
The raid commenced around 9 p.m. ET, as a large contingent of police officers, wearing helmets, marched onto the prestigious campus in upper Manhattan.
Columbia University has been a focal point of student rallies opposing Israel’s actions in Gaza, with similar protests occurring at numerous schools across the U.S. in recent days.
Police officers announced their intention to clear the area as they moved in, and soon after, they entered Hamilton Hall, an academic building that had been occupied by protesters earlier in the day. Using a police vehicle equipped with a ladder, officers accessed the building through a second-story window, while students outside voiced their disapproval with chants of “Shame, shame!”
During the operation, police detained numerous individuals and loaded them onto a bus, with their hands bound behind their backs. Meanwhile, protesters outside continued to chant slogans in support of Palestine and called for the release of the detained students.
One of the student negotiators for Columbia University Apartheid Divest, Sweda Polat, expressed pride in the students’ actions and asserted that they did not pose a threat. She called on the police to de-escalate the situation, even as officers instructed her and others to leave the campus.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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