VIDEO | Columbia University protesters occupy university building – BNN

On Tuesday, April 30, pro-Palestinian protesters at New York’s Columbia University occupied Hamilton Hall, despite warnings and a deadline to disperse and dismantle the camps, and dozens of demonstrators barricaded themselves in as the university began temporarily expelling students who were involved in the two-week protest, reports the British broadcaster BBC.

One student said there was “lawlessness” on campus as officials battled a protracted demonstration that has sparked a wave of rallies elsewhere.

Columbia University has asked students and staff to stay off campus on Tuesday.

Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), one of the main protest groups, vowed to defy the order to leave the site and called on activists to “protect the camp” in a post on the “X” website.

Later, the group announced the occupation of Hamilton Hall, emphasizing that student protests took place in this hall in 1968 as well. Another group, Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), said it had “reclaimed” a building in honor of Hinda Rajab, a six-year-old girl who died in Gaza earlier this year.

One student described the campus as “lawless, complete anarchy” as demonstrators smashed windows to gain entry to the building and then blocked the doors with furniture.

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik reiterated in a statement Monday that the university will not end financial ties with Israel and that talks between academic leadership and student organizers have not resulted in an agreement.

Pressure has mounted on the leadership of prestigious Columbia University, with calls for action or resignation.

The campus has become a focal point for national debate on the Gaza conflict,

US support for Israel and concerns about rising anti-Semitism threatening Jewish students.

On Monday, a caucus of House Democrats called on its board to resign if it fails to “act decisively, disperse the encampment and ensure the safety and security of all students.”

A week ago, police arrested more than 100 protesters at the former camp. But the activists redoubled their efforts, regrouping in another camp and forcing the university administration to switch to distance learning.

Many protestors wore face coverings for fear of identification and repercussions, although the university said it had already identified several participants.

Columbia University’s annual undergraduate tuition and fees is approximately $90,000, making it among the most expensive universities in the United States.

Hundreds of people have been arrested across the country,

including dozens of protesters Monday at the University of Texas at Austin, where officials said protesters ignored orders to tear down their tents and found “baseball-sized rocks” at the camp.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk expressed concern about law enforcement efforts on US campuses, saying their impact has sometimes been disproportionate.

He emphasized the importance of freedom of speech and the right to peaceful assembly in society.

Students at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond reported that police used tear gas and pepper spray during their rally on Monday, with the university saying the group was repeatedly asked to leave the grounds, noting that many of the participants were not students.

In Boston, a rare agreement was reached between Northwestern University and protesters who had set up a camp in solidarity with the Palestinians, with the university allowing “peaceful demonstrations” on the condition that the camp be limited to one tent.

Also read: VIDEO | Protests against the war in Gaza are growing at US universities

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