As the Ivy League school leader testified before a House council about the school response to racism this year, New York Police made arrests of more than 100 anti-Israel demonstrators at Columbia University.
The protesters were detained by police on suspicion of unlawful theft. They were reportedly detained with no opposition. Per CNN:
Columbia President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik was in Washington, DC, testifying to the House education council, as the demonstrators – including students, instructors and some – gathered in lower Manhattan early Wednesday night, setting up houses and signs.
Later that afternoon, competing demonstrations of pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian teams grew.
Many people waving Arab flags had verbal clashes with police officers, who had begun boxing the demonstrators in with walls, CNN internet WCBS reported. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators could be seen arguing with authorities in a video from WCBS, and some even lit little fires. One lady was seen being held in handcuffs as she fled.
After closing the doors, Columbia only permitted protesters on the school who had Columbia IDs. On Thursday, President Shafik wrote a email to NYPD officers requesting that the agency take down those who were trespassing.
The president wrote,” These individuals ‘ actions violate University rules and policies. The University sent out numerous finds and warnings to the camp members, telling them to separate or be subject to immediate punishment. ”
Shafik told the NYPD to tear up the protesters “out of an abundance of concern for the safety of Columbia’s college. ”
“ I took this extraordinary action because these are extraordinary circumstances, ” Shafik wrote. The people who built the camp had a long list of regulations and rules to adhere to. ”
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) child, Isra Hirsi, was reportedly among those arrested on Thursday and she will be processed.
“I’m an administrator with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP, in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege, I have never been disciplined or given any disciplinary punishment. I only learned that I am one of three kids suspended for standing up for Palestinians who are facing a murder, Hirsi said on X.
“Those of us in Gaza Solidarity Encampment will not be intimidated, ” she added. We will remain unwavering until our expectations are satisfied. Among our needs are divestment from businesses that participated in the murder, openness in the funding of @Columbia’s investments, and FULL parole for all students who face oppression. ”
https://twitter.com/israhirsi/status/1780980485679641037
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