New York City Police Conducts an Arrest of Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators at the Columbia University

NYPD officers detained pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University after they occupied a building, leading to vandalism and threats against staff. The protesters demanded divestment from Israeli companies.

New York City cops searched the campus of Columbia University around 11 pm on Tuesday and arrested several pro-Palestinian students who had been occupying Hamilton Hall, the main administrative building on campus.

The protesters were holding the demonstration against Israeli military actions in Gaza and calling Columbia to divest from companies they believe make profits from the conflict. The University had set a 2 pm deadline for students to leave by Monday but after refusal, the University called for help from the New York Police Department.

"We have left no alternative," a spokesperson from Columbia argued because of vandalism, threats against staff, and disruptions to campus operations by undefined protesters described as "students who are not affiliated with the university."

Real-time footage demonstrated how police were detaining protesters, some of them had their hands tied back with zip ties and being loaded on law enforcement buses. The police went in through the second-story window, with the help of a ladder truck.

The police surrounded the protestors' camp as students outside shouted "Shame, shame!" The U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman was extremely outraged by the "level of police presence called upon nonviolent student protestors"

The university President Minouche Shafik had stated earlier that the university won’t stop its investments in Israel in the wake of protests. Organizers' requests to reach an agreement were rejected, she stated.

Also Read: Columbia University Becoming The Flashpoint Of Nationwide Campus Protests Over Israel-Palestine Impasse

The law enforcement intervention signaled the climax of the weeks-long protests, which have drawn a lot of attention and disrupted many campus activities at Columbia. Pro-Palestinian activism has remained strong at some U.S. universities this spring, as the violence between Israel and the occupied territories has continued unabated.