New York: The Police of New York have cleared a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at Columbia University and arrested more than 100 protesters. The camp was set up to oppose military actions against Gaza by Israel.
According to some of the students involved in the march, they were also suspended from Columbia University and its affiliated institution, Barnard College. Among those suspended was Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Ilhan Omar, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives.
Nemat Shafik, Columbia University’s President, stated that she allowed the police to remove the numerous tents that were set up by protesters, as these individuals kept violating the university’s regulations and guidelines against unauthorised protests. Additionally, they were not complying with administrators’ requests.
New York City Mayor, Eric Adams, announced that the police arrested more than 108 people for trespassing. Furthermore, two individuals were arrested for jamming the government authority. “Students have a right to free speech, but do not have a right to violate university policies and disrupt learning on campus,” Adams said.
The decision to clear the camp follows Shafik being challenged at a congressional hearing regarding allegations of anti-Semitism. She was also questioned by Omar regarding the claimed targeting of pro-Palestinian protesters. Columbia, which is one of the most prestigious universities in the United States, became a hub for pupil activism since the commencement of the Israel-Gaza War over six months ago. There were objections both defending and opposing the combat.
The university, however, comes under particular scrutiny due to its importance and measures to crack down on unauthorised meetings. Columbia University announced that it started suspending students who took part in the latest camp. The university representative confirmed that they are still recognising the students and will be sending out legal notices.
In response, Hirsi, one of the suspended students, took to social media to voice her stance. She declared that she would not be scared and would persist in pushing for clarity on Columbia’s investments, divestment from businesses complicit in genocide and exoneration for students encountering repression. Furthermore, she noted that she and her fellow protesters ‘will stand resolute until our demands are met.’
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