Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Columbia University

On a Wednesday, a significant number of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered at Columbia University in New York City. They aimed to express their views regarding the ongoing situation in Palestine. Many of the protesters were seen wearing face masks, sunglasses, and traditional keffiyeh scarves. They entered the Butler Library, a central part of the university, through an open door, and this led to a confrontation with the police. The university's president, Claire Shipman, reported that two security officers were injured when the protesters forcefully entered the library. Videos shared on social media depicted the protesters chanting slogans as they made their way into the library, despite a ban from the Trump administration that had been put in place following widespread protests on campus the previous year. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the visa statuses of those involved in the protest would be reviewed. Reports indicated that more than 70 protesters were arrested, but no charges have been filed yet, and authorities have not disclosed details about those detained or their visa statuses. The protesters took to social media to accuse the university of 'violent repression' and stated that they refused to show their identification to police and campus safety officers. Rubio labeled the group as 'trespassers and vandals,' asserting that 'pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation,' which echoed Trump's rationale for his recent crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses. The Trump administration has not only targeted individuals by revoking hundreds of international student visas and threatening deportations but has also focused on prestigious universities like Columbia, accusing them of failing to combat antisemitism on their campuses. Videos from the protest showed demonstrators vandalizing bookshelves by writing 'free Palestine' on them. Another video captured public safety officers blocking the library's exit and demanding that individuals inside show their Columbia IDs or face arrest, resulting in a lengthy standoff. President Shipman stated that she had requested assistance from the New York Police Department (NYPD) on Wednesday, noting that many of the protesters involved were not students at Columbia. The NYPD confirmed in a post on social media that they were responding to an ongoing situation on campus where individuals had occupied a library and were trespassing. Shipman emphasized that while the protest was confined to one room in the library, it was 'completely unacceptable' for individuals to disrupt academic activities while students were studying and preparing for final exams. The Columbia president, who took office in March after her predecessor resigned, urged students to avoid the library during the protest. New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated in a social media post that 'we will not tolerate hate or violence in any form in our city. ' This incident marks the first time Columbia University has called the NYPD for assistance during an on-campus protest since April 2024, when protesters occupied Hamilton Hall for nearly 24 hours. As the standoff continued, crowds of protesters grew outside the Butler Library, with some wearing keffiyeh headscarves and masks. Columbia has drawn particular criticism from Trump, who claims that many universities have allowed antisemitism and harassment of Jewish students to persist. The president has already threatened to withhold approximately $400 million in federal funding for Columbia, as his administration continues to threaten those involved in previous campus protests with deportation. In March, Columbia agreed to several demands from the Trump administration, including a ban on face masks at protests and changes in oversight of certain academic programs, after the administration indicated it would withhold millions in federal funds. It remains uncertain whether the funds will be reinstated, as a lawsuit has been filed by some faculty members regarding the funding cuts. Columbia was at the center of last year's protests against the war in Gaza and US support for Israel. However, it is not the only institution targeted by the US government. The administration has warned 60 universities that their funding may be canceled if allegations of antisemitism on campuses are not addressed. On Tuesday, Trump also terminated $2. 2 billion in taxpayer funds to Harvard University after ordering a review of its federal financing, as Harvard has refused to comply with Trump's demands. Pro-Palestinian protest activity appears to be increasing at US colleges as graduation ceremonies approach and heightened attention is drawn to campuses. On Monday, over two dozen protesters were arrested by police in armored gear at the University of Washington for occupying an engineering building.