New York police arrest over 70 protesters from Columbia University campus

NEW YORK: A pro-Palestinian protest broke out at Columbia University on Wednesday afternoon and more than 100 demonstrators occupied part of the university’s main library, leading to the arrest of some 75 individuals.

Tensions escalated quickly as clashes erupted between protesters and university public safety officers.

Protesters were pushed back toward the library entrance, and two safety officers sustained injuries during the confrontation. A fire alarm was triggered amid the chaos.

Protesters chanted slogans including “No cops. No K.K.K. No fascist U.S.A.” and “Free Palestine.”

The New York police entered the main campus of Columbia University at the university’s request around 6 p.m. local time (2200 GMT) and made arrests on the grounds of trespassing.

This marks the most significant protest at Columbia University since the demonstrations in April 2024 and resulted in a big number of arrests to date.

Earlier this week, Columbia University’s faculty and staff held vigils to protest the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s detention of three international students and vowed to continue weekly vigils until all detainees are released.

“Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams,” according to a statement from Claire Shipman, acting president of the university.

New York City authorities also responded. Eric Adams, mayor of New York City, called the demonstrators’ action “unacceptable.”

“To those protesting on campus who do not attend Columbia: exit the campus immediately or you will be arrested. We will not tolerate hate or violence in any form in our city,” said Adams in a post on social media.

Columbia University has been at the center of pro-Palestinian protests. In April 2024, a massive protest at the university led to over 100 arrests.

In March, the Trump administration also withdrew 400 million U.S dollars in federal funding from Columbia University, citing the failure to curb anti-semitism on the campus.

The current protest could complicate negotiations between the federal government and university officials seeking to restore federal funding.

-Xinhua