In a dramatic turn of events, New York City police officers swarmed the Columbia University campus, arresting numerous individuals amid escalating protests over the Gaza conflict that have swept across American campuses.
Live footage broadcasted on television captured the scene as police descended upon the university located in upper Manhattan. The campus has been a focal point for student demonstrations against Israel’s actions in Gaza, where the death toll of Palestinians has soared above 34,500.
The officers, clad in riot gear, were seen entering Hamilton Hall, the administrative building that had been occupied by students since early Tuesday morning. The occupation began after the university threatened to suspend students who refused to disperse.
Dubbing the building “Hind’s Hall” in honor of a young Palestinian girl killed in Gaza, the protesters faced off against the advancing police units. Amid chants of “Free Palestine!” and pleas to release the detained students, officers began clearing the area, leading away protesters with their hands bound.
This crackdown occurred precisely 56 years after police intervened in a 1968 protest at Hamilton Hall against racism and the Vietnam War.
The student organizers clarified that the occupation group inside Hamilton Hall was distinct from those camping on the campus lawn. However, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and police officials asserted that the takeover had been orchestrated by “outside agitators” lacking any ties to Columbia University.
The university, in a statement, explained that calling in the police was a last resort after the building was vandalized and blocked off, leaving them with no choice but to act to ensure safety on campus.
As tensions remain high, this incident underscores the deep divisions and impassioned activism surrounding the Gaza conflict within American universities.
