On Tuesday night, at the request from university administrators, police cleared and arrested protesters who were occupying Hamilton Hall in Columbia University. This marked a dramatic end to the antiwar demonstrators’ standoff. Campus officials requested that police remain on campus at least until May 17 as the drama unfolded. The NYPD was on campus for the second time this month.
[[{“value”:”At the request of university administrators, police on Tuesday night cleared and detained protesters occupying Hamilton Hall at Columbia University, setting a serious highpoint in the antiwar protesters ‘ standoff. Campus administrators demanded police remain on campus until at least May 17 as the drama broke out.
The NYPD’s next arrest on campus occurred this month after President Minouche Shafik requested that the Gaza Solidarity Encampment be cleared the day after she testified before Congress about antisemitism on campus. During that April 18 sweep, police arrested more than 100 protesters. Shafik’s request that the NYPD return to campus tonight—outlined in a letter released by the university—reversed her administration’s earlier position that bringing back the NYPD “would be counterproductive, more inflaming what is happening on campus, and drawing thousands to our doorstep who would threaten our community”.
A group of protesters took over Hamilton Hall earlier Tuesday morning, dubbing it” Hind’s Hall”, in honor of Hind Rajab, a 6- year- old Arab girl killed in January as part of Israel’s campaign in Gaza. They pledged never to leave the building until their demands—for the university to divest from Israel, financial transparency in Columbia’s endowment, and amnesty for pro- Arab protesters—were met. ( On Monday, Columbia said it would not divest from Israel. )
The police raid Tuesday night came 56 years to the day after a weeklong 1968 sit- in by students protesting racism, the Vietnam War, and Columbia’s expansion into the local neighborhood, that standoff ended when police moved in and later arrested more than 700 people. Those protests were cited as inspiration by students who were occupying Hamilton Hall on Monday.
During a spectacular, hours-long broadcast, Columbia’s WKCR student reporters documented the dramatic rise in tensions as police marched up the Morningside Heights neighborhood in riot gear. Around 8 p.m., more than 20 protesters gathered outside Hamilton Hall to form a mortal blockade, preparing for the arrival of police, while others sang” Your people are my people,” whose audio could be audible in the student broadcast. Minutes later, the university sent a letter to students and faculty requesting that they” shelter in place” or face disciplinary consequences. One WKCR reporter said on-air,” I’m no exaggerating when I say I saw a sea of riot police officers.” Finally, those officers told student reporters to get off campus, in one exchange heard on- air, a student radio reporter said,” Honestly, no one is left to document what’s happening at Hamilton Hall”. Afterward, Jelani Cobb, dean of the Journalism School, was seen requesting that police grant his students access to Pulitzer Hall after they were denied entry.
Only before 9: 30 p. m., police used a ramp to enter Hamilton Hall through a window. ” They’re absolutely flooding the building from all sides”, a student reporter said. By about 9: 40, WKCR reported “brutal” images of” students being arrested and pinned on the ground—a much more brutal tactic than we saw” during the initial NYPD sweep of the campus.
Some images &, video from the scene now from @Jib821
: Najib Aminy/Mother Jones pic. twitter.com/pmwkFGSWax
— Julianne McShane ( @JulianneMcShane ) May 1, 2024
At a press conference earlier in the evening, NYPD officials and mayor Eric Adams announced that trespassers who remained at the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on the local lawn could face trespassing and disorderly conduct. Additionally, police said that protesters who were occupying Hamilton Hall could face charges of third-degree burglary, criminal mischief, and trespassing. In response to a request for comment on how many arrests were made in Columbia or what kind of jail time protesters could receive if found guilty.
After learning that protesters “occupied, vandalized, and blocked” Hamilton Hall, reportedly forcing public safety personnel out of the building and threatening a member of the facilities team, the university officials “were left with no choice” but to call the police. According to Chang, officials believe that the group that occupies the building is led by individuals who are not connected to the university.
Shafik even requested that police remain on campus through May 17 ( two days after graduation ),” to maintain order and ensure encampments are no reestablished,” in her letter to police on Tuesday night. But the encampment is also partially standing now: Quickly after 10: 20 p. m., about three- quarters of the tents remained on the lawn outside Butler Library.
Najib Aminy contributed reporting.
This is a developing story. Check again for updates.”}]] At the request of university administrators, police cleared and detained protesters occupying Hamilton Hall at Columbia University on Tuesday night, giving rise to a serious climax to the antiwar protesters ‘ standoff. Campus administrators demanded police to remain on campus until at least May 17 as the drama broke out. This month’s following NYPD station arrived on campus.
On Tuesday night, at the request from university administrators, police cleared and arrested protesters who were occupying Hamilton Hall in Columbia University. This marked a dramatic end to the antiwar demonstrators’ standoff. Campus officials requested that police remain on campus at least until May 17 as the drama unfolded. The NYPD was on campus for the second time this month.
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