Using tactical vehicles, New York City police enter the upper floor of Hamilton Hall on the Columbia University campus in New York, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, after the building was occupied by protesters hold earlier in the day.
Craig Ruttle/AP
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Craig Ruttle/AP
Using tactical vehicles, New York City police enter the upper floor of Hamilton Hall on the Columbia University campus in New York, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, after the building was occupied by protesters hold earlier in the day.
Craig Ruttle/AP
New York police officers cleared student encampments Tuesday night at two campuses, as pro-Palestinian protests continued to simmer across the country’s higher education institutions.
At Columbia University, New York police used a giant armored vehicle to push a bridge into the windows of Hamilton Hall, which protesters began occupying the night before. Police then poured across the bridge into a window – quickly retaking the building.
Elsewhere in New York City, police dispersed a camp set up at The City College of New York, less than a mile from Columbia. A large number of students were dragged away.
Early Tuesday evening, a crowd of protesters marched from Columbia University to the City College of New York, a school within the City University of New York system. CUNY Public Safety handled the initial response, arresting 25 individuals, It says.
About 100 protesters were there, including former student Leena Widdi, who said she saw about 20 people arrested when interactions with police turned violent. However, the NYPD has yet to confirm or deny that and no arrest data was available as of 2:50 a.m. Eastern Wednesday.
The police action in New York comes as student protests continue across the country’s campuses. In Oregon, Portland State University closed its campus yesterday after protesters took over the library building.
At Brown University, students agreed to end their protest. They took that step after the school said it would hold a vote in October on the possibility of divesting from Israel.
Columbia said the profession is led by people not affiliated with the university
Meanwhile, Columbia officials said the protesters occupying Hamilton Hall were led by outside agitators.
Early Tuesday morning, protesters hid in Hamilton Hall until it closed and let other protesters in. There were two security guards present, who Columbia President Minouche Shafik said the school released from the building.
“We believe that although the group that broke into the building included students, it was led by individuals not affiliated with the University,” she said. wrote in a letter requested the assistance of the New York Police Department.
Protesters then chained doors, used furniture as barricades and used ropes to demand people outside the building deliver items to them, said tactic Rebecca Weiner, deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism for the NYPD. was taught to other participants.
Weiner said some protesters have been on the New York Police Department’s radar for years. A press conference Tuesday.
“I have been saying for days, if not weeks, that we should have protested peacefully,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. “It was essentially co-opted by outside professional agitators. We are extremely cautious in releasing our information/information as our goal is to ensure student safety , faculty and without any destruction of property.”
Adams said he would not let the occupation degenerate into a “pointless scene of violence” and urged parents to contact their children to ask them to disperse.
“Maybe some of the students participating don’t understand what they’re getting into,” he said. “We urge those and others violating Columbia’s order to leave the area and leave the area now.”
The NYPD said those entering Hamilton Hall will be charged with third-degree burglary, criminal vandalism and trespassing, while participants outside the building will be charged with trespassing and criminal mischief. disarrange.
Police were initially present near the university but did not intervene until receiving a letter from Shafik and asking them to stay at least until May 17.
“The events on campus last night left us with no other choice,” Shafik said Tuesday. “With the assistance of the Trustees of the University, I have determined that the occupation of the building, the encampments, and the related disruptions pose a clear and present danger to persons, property, and property. the University’s fundamental assets and operations and requires the use of emergency powers to protect them.” people and property”.
NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said the department has been in contact with Columbia since protesters set up camp in support of the Palestinians earlier this month.
“The right to protest and speak your mind is vital to our democracy and the NYPD’s job is to protect that right, but we will never tolerate violence,” he said. property damage or disruption of emergency services”.
NPR’s Brian Mann, Jasmine Garsd and Quil Lawrence contributed reporting.
