Over 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators were arrested at Columbia University after the president permitted New York police to disband a student protest against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Columbia University President Nemat Minouche Shafik, who faced scrutiny at a House of Representatives committee hearing on campus antisemitism the day before, stated she authorized police to clear a tent encampment set up by protesters.
Shafik cited concerns for campus safety and violations of university rules against unauthorized protests. New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed over 108 arrests, stressing the absence of violence.
Columbia University began suspending students involved in the encampment, which it deemed an unsanctioned protest. Several students, including Isra Hirsi, Maryam Iqbal, and Soph Dinu, received suspension notices from Barnard College, an affiliate of Columbia.
The clash echoes historical protests at Columbia and comes amid demonstrations nationwide against the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Human rights advocates note a rise in bias and hate incidents targeting various groups.
At the congressional hearing, Shafik faced accusations of failing to protect Jewish students, but she highlighted the university’s efforts to address antisemitism. The protesters demand a Gaza ceasefire, an end to US military aid to Israel, and divestment from companies profiting from Israeli actions.
The encampment, organized by student groups like Columbia University Apartheid Divest and Students for Justice in Palestine, reflects ongoing activism on college campuses. Additionally, a march supporting Asna Tabassum, a Muslim student at the University of Southern California, is planned amid concerns about speech suppression related to her views on Gaza.
