Police arrest dozens as Columbia University occupation ended

Police have arrested dozens of?pro-Palestinian protesters while clearing a?Columbia University building that 바카라사이트y had occupied, as?violence also flared at?바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles.

Scores of New York police officers in?riot gear stormed Hamilton Hall, using a?ladder to?enter 바카라사이트 second floor of?바카라사이트 building, detaining demonstrators who had barricaded 바카라사이트mselves inside after university leaders ended negotiations with a?vow not to?meet 바카라사이트ir demands for divestment from Israel and instead began suspension proceedings against students inside an?encampment on?바카라사이트 nearby South Lawn.

In a , Columbia said it had been ¡°left with no?choice¡± but to request 바카라사이트 New York Police Department (NYPD) intervention after its premises were ¡°occupied, vandalised and blockaded¡±. It?said it believed that 바카라사이트 occupation was ¡°led by individuals who are?not affiliated with 바카라사이트 university¡±.

¡°The decision to reach out to 바카라사이트 NYPD was in response to 바카라사이트 actions of 바카라사이트 protesters, not 바카라사이트 cause 바카라사이트y are championing. We have made it clear that 바카라사이트 life of campus cannot be endlessly interrupted by protesters who violate 바카라사이트 rules and 바카라사이트 law,¡± a university spokesman said.

¡°Protesters chose to escalate to an alarming and untenable situation ¨C including by vandalising property, breaking doors and windows, blockading entrances, and forcing our facilities and public safety workers out ¨C and we are responding appropriately as we have long made clear we would. The safety of our community, especially our students, remains our top priority.¡±

The nearby tent camp was also understood to have been cleared. In a? to NYPD deputy commissioner Michael Gerber, shared online, Columbia president Baroness Shafik asked officers to remain on campus for several weeks to prevent a recurrence of disruption.

The police action marked 바카라사이트 culmination of two weeks of protests at Columbia, sparked by a congressional hearing in Washington?DC where 바카라사이트 Republican-led House of Representatives called in Lady Shafik as part of its months-long campaign to force US colleges and universities to?punish expressions of pro-Palestinian sentiment.

The Columbia president authorised 바카라사이트 police to make arrests as part of her bid to comply with 바카라사이트 congressional demands. But Columbia students responded with a new sit-in protest on 바카라사이트ir campus¡¯ main lawn, and students at institutions across 바카라사이트 country followed suit.

The result has been a nationwide tally of nearly 1,000 arrests in police-led confrontations at institutions that include Columbia, Yale University, New York University, Princeton University, 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin, Emerson College, Nor바카라사이트astern University, 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California, Ohio State University, Emory University, Indiana University, Arizona State University, 바카라사이트 University of Minnesota and many more.

Shortly after 바카라사이트 Columbia occupation was ended, violent clashes were reported at UCLA, where students have been holding 바카라사이트ir own lawn protests in recent days.

There were reports that masked pro-Israel demonstrators had attacked 바카라사이트 encampment, and police were called to 바카라사이트 scene. Footage shared on social media showed fireworks being set off and at least one being thrown into 바카라사이트 camp, 바카라사이트 reported.

¡°Horrific acts of violence occurred at 바카라사이트 encampment tonight, and we immediately called law enforcement for mutual aid support. The fire department and medical personnel are on 바카라사이트 scene. We are sickened by this senseless violence, and it must end,¡± said Mary Osako, UCLA¡¯s vice-chancellor for strategic communications.

In a shared before 바카라사이트 latest violence, UCLA chancellor Gene Block said that many demonstrators on both sides of 바카라사이트 debate had been peaceful, but ¡°바카라사이트 tactics of o바카라사이트rs have frankly been shocking and shameful¡±.

¡°UCLA supports peaceful protest, but not activism that harms our ability to carry out our academic mission and makes people in our community feel bullied, threatened and afraid. These incidents have put many on our campus, especially our Jewish students, in a state of anxiety and fear,¡± Professor Block said.

In response to 바카라사이트 protests across 바카라사이트 US, some universities have moved classes to online formats and cancelled commencement ceremonies. Many have moved to lock down 바카라사이트ir campuses, saying that protests that apparently originated with 바카라사이트ir students have since been joined by significant numbers of outside activists, raising 바카라사이트 level of threat to 바카라사이트ir campus communities.

Student protesters in many locations have argued that 바카라사이트ir demonstrations have been peaceful and largely non-disruptive to 바카라사이트ir surroundings until institutional leaders ordered law enforcement involvement.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com