Chicago – April 19, 2024
More than 100 pro-Palestinian protestors have been arrested on the Columbia University campus in New York as police dismantle an on-campus set up by students protesting against Israeli brutality in Gaza.
Several students participated in the protest, including Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Ilhan Omar, a Democrat in the United States House of Representatives. Isra reported that they had also been suspended from Columbia and its affiliated institution, Barnard College.
Columbia’s president, Nemat Shafik, stated that she had authorized police to clear the dozens of tents set up by protestors because they had violated the university’s regulations and procedures against organizing unauthorised rallies and refused to interact with the administration.
Mayor Eric Adams of New York City reported that police arrested more than 108 people for trespassing. Two other people were charged with obstructing government administration.
Columbia, one of the most prominent institutions in the United States, has emerged as a hub for student activism since the Israel-Gaza war began more than six months ago. However, the university has received particular attention due to its prominence and efforts to combat unlawful gatherings.
Hirsi said on social media that she will not be intimidated and will continue to advocate for transparency about Columbia’s investments, divestment from “companies complicit in genocide,” and amnesty for students facing “repression.”
