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More than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators occupying the main reading room of Columbia University’s Butler Library prompted a major police response and dozens of arrests.
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The Wednesday, May 7 protest was organized by Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a student-led group pushing for the university to divest from companies that support Israel. The protesters, many of whom were masked and wearing keffiyehs, had banners with inscriptions like “Strike For Gaza” and “Liberated Zone,” and “renamed” the library after Palestinian writer Basel Al-Araj, who was killed by Israeli forces in 2017. Here’s CUAD’s statement about the protest.
BREAKING: THE BASEL AL-ARAJ POPULAR UNIVERSITY HAS JUST LAUNCHED, RECLAIMING BUTLER LIBRARY FOR THE PEOPLE pic.twitter.com/FHKRvgJThG
— CU Apartheid Divest (CUAD) (@ColumbiaBDS) May 7, 2025
University officials said the demonstrators forced their way into the library which prompted the administration to ask for the NYPD’s assistance after several requests for the protesters to vacate were declined. Interim president Claire Shipman described the events as “outrageous” and emphasized that their decision to involve law enforcement was made to ensure the safety of the campus community. Two public safety officers were reported to have been injured in the course of the incident. Here’s the full statement from Shipman.
The NYPD arrested about 80 people, some of whom were seen being taken away in zip ties. The protest caused disturbances to the students who were preparing for their final exams and has also raised more issues on the campus regarding freedom of speech and the limits of protest.
The demonstration at Columbia University is part of a wave of pro-Palestinian activism that is sweeping across US college campuses in response to the current Middle East tensions and the new policies of the Trump administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the administration would review the visas of international students involved in such protests, labeling them as “pro-Hamas thugs.”
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The university has come under immense pressure from federal authorities including a $400 million cut in federal funding earlier this year for what was alleged to be insufficient action against antisemitism on campus. In response, the university has brought into effect several policies including banning masks during protests and requiring identification from demonstrators.
The events of May 7 show the continued difficulties that universities face in ensuring the right to free speech against campus safety and federal compliance. As Columbia tries to address these issues, the campus is still very much divided on how to handle domestic and international political issues.
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If they are adults, why haven’t their names been published over the past 2 years?
So, so, so sick of these dimwitted demented fools. Go to class. You might actually learn something.
Arrest them all.
Students citizens — expel and keep their parents’ money
Non-student citizens — Rikers and press further charges
Non-student non-citizens — deport
For misdemeanors?
From everything being reported about this situation, at least 2/3 of the rioters are non-student citizens with a healthy combination of non-student, visitors’ visas (if that). So, yes, to arresting them for trespassing and disturbing the peace at a minimum — hope there’s a law covering what I’ll call malicious rioting but I doubt it because most of the January 6, pro-Trump insurrection in D.C. would have come under “malicious rioting” laws if we had them.
And I agree fully with the course of action for anyone who is/was a student: arrest and expel then. Since it’s the end of the academic year anyway — commencement is next week!! – no matter how you slice it, Columbia can and should keep the tuition. It does bring to mind how Columbia is going to manage, protect and secure campus and its 15,000+ visitors, as iproud parents, sibilngs, et al. plan on attending graduation/commencement exercises normally held on a peaceful campus, since 1968 and 1970.
PT,
Yawn.
The arrestees were almost all given desk ticks.
This is in no way like Trump’s coup attempt. (Irony, many of the yahoos who invaded the Capitol on Jan. 6th 2021 managed to confuse and distract the cohort with very real plans to capture, and possibly k$ll, McConnell, Pelosi, Pence, and Schumer.)