Dozens of protesters took over a building at Columbia University in New York early Tuesday, April 30, barricading entrances and unfurling a Palestinian flag from a window in the latest escalation of demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war on college campuses nationwide. The school promised they would face expulsion.
The occupation at Columbia – where protesters shrugged off an ultimatum to abandon a tent encampment Monday or be suspended – unfolded as other universities stepped up efforts to clear out encampments. Police swept through some campuses, spurring confrontations with protesters and plenty of arrests. In rarer instances, university officials and protest leaders have struck agreements to restrict the disruption to campus life.
And as ceasefire negotiations appeared to gain steam Tuesday, it wasn’t clear whether those talks would inspire campus protesters to ease their efforts.
Protesters on Columbia's Manhattan campus locked arms in front of Hamilton Hall early Tuesday and carried furniture and metal barricades to the building, among several that were occupied during a 1968 civil rights and anti-Vietnam War protest. Posts on an Instagram page for protest organizers shortly after midnight urged people to protect the encampment and join them at Hamilton Hall. A "Free Palestine" banner hung from a window. The takeover occurred nearly 12 hours after Monday’s 2 pm deadline for the protesters to leave an encampment of around 120 tents or face suspension.
In a statement Tuesday, Columbia spokesperson Ben Chang said, "Students occupying the building face expulsion." He said those who didn't agree to the terms from Monday were being suspended. "Protesters have chosen to escalate to an untenable situation – vandalizing property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances – and we are following through with the consequences we outlined yesterday," he said.
New York Police Department Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, speaking at a news conference Tuesday, said police won’t enter Columbia’s campus without a request from the college administration or an imminent emergency.
Protesters insisted they will remain at the hall until the university agrees to three demands: divestment, financial transparency and amnesty.