A large number of police officers descended on Hamilton Hall at Columbia University Tuesday night, evicting protesters who had occupied the building and taking many into custody.
Tensions have flared at Columbia's Manhattan campus for the past two weeks, since students set up a pro-Palestinian encampment and began calls for the university to divest its support for Israel.
The situation intensified this week when protesters ignored a Monday deadline to disband and took control of Hamilton Hall early Tuesday. In a statement Tuesday night, Columbia University said:
"A little after 9 p.m. this evening, the NYPD arrived on campus at the University’s request. This decision was made to restore safety and order to our community.
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We regret that protesters have chosen to escalate the situation through their actions. After the University learned overnight that Hamilton Hall had been occupied, vandalized, and blockaded, we were left with no choice. Columbia public safety personnel were forced out of the building, and a member of our facilities team was threatened. We will not risk the safety of our community or the potential for further escalation."
Amid final exams and upcoming graduations, Columbia students are grappling with fluctuating tensions on campus and the national attention these protests have received.
Tensions have flared during protests at Columbia University and elsewhere across the country. The demonstrators have made it clear they're against Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza, but what do they specifically want? Here's a look at what protesters are really demanding.
Universities across the country are taking varying approaches to encampments that have taken root on their campuses, with some allowing them to remain and others calling in police to break them up.
Pro-Palestinian protests and encampments are springing up at numerous colleges, leading to arrests and heightened security concerns. Here’s what's happening.
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