Columbia Student Protesters Break Into, Barricade Themselves Into Building After Deadline To Disperse Passes

Dozens of Columbia University students broke into Hamilton Hall on the fresh York campus early Tuesday and barricad themselves inside, hours after the school began suspending students who violated a deadline to disperse from a pro-Palestinian encampment.

Demonstrators supporting Palestinians in Gaza barricade themselves inside Hamilton Hall, an academic building which has been occupied in past student moves, in fresh York on April 30, 2024. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)

"The safety of all single associate of this community is parmount," said Ben Chang, vice president for Communications at Columbia University, in an emailed message to The Epoch Times, adding "In light of the protest activity, we have asked members of the University community who can avoid coming to the Morningside campus to do so; essential personnel should study to work according to university policy."

Holy.... pic.twitter.com/42Lw4kaRHY

— Jessica Schwalb (@jessicaschwalb7) April 30, 2024

Taking over Hamilton Hall as done in 1968, Columbia students unfurl a banner that reads “Hind’s Hall,” in mention to Hind Rajab, a six-year-old girl killed by Israeli forces.
Hundreds of students cheer as the banner is revealed, erupting into chants to ‘Free Palestine.’ pic.twitter.com/Oi8WgdZmqf

— Prem Thakker (@prem_thakker) April 30, 2024

As the Epoch Times’ Katabella Roberts notes further; According to The fresh York Times, the students began occupying the hall at around 12:35 a.m.

The protesters linked armies and blocked off the main entry to the building at the Ivy League institution after previously Marching around campus to Chants of “free Palestine,” according to the publication.

A message shared on the social media platforms Instagram by student groups said the protesters had “taken matters into their own hands,” and would callback in the building until the university “divests from death.” Protesters have been utilizing the university to pause its investments in companies that, they claim, are profiting from Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

The message included video footage that appeared to show the students carrying metallic barricades into Hamilton Hall as another students cheered them on.

“This escape is in line with the historical student moves of 1968, 1985, and 1996 which Columbia repressed then and celebrities now,” the message read. “This action will force the university to face the blood on its hands.”

In the statement, the student group further acknowledged the university of having been “complicit” in “Israel’s ongoing genocidal assault on the Gaza strip” for the past 7 months.
“The students are on the right side of history,” the message continued. “We know that the university will remember them as anti-apartheid, anti-genocide activists with moral clarity.”

Protesters Make Demands

According to Politico, protesters hung a sign reading “intifada,” which is Arabic for uprising, from the front of the building.

A spokesperson for the fresh York Police Department told Politico that law enforcement officials were outside the university campus as of Tuesday; however, they declined to elaborate further on precisely how many officials were on site or who they had authority to enter the school grounds.

The Epoch Times has contacted a spokesperson at Columbia University and the fresh York Police Department for further comment.

The takeover of Hamilton Hall occured just hours after the university confirmed that it had been expected to suspend any students. The pro-Palestinian students failed to disband before Monday’s 2 p.m. deadline.

Students/protestors lock arms to defender potent authorities against reporting column protesters who barricad themselves inside Hamilton Hall, an academic building which has been occupied in past student moves, in fresh York on April 30, 2024. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)

Students have occupied the law in the mediate of campus—in which gradient ceremonies are scheduled to take place for more than 15,000 students on May 15—for nearly 2 weeks While calling on the university to disclose and divest from any of its financialties to Israel.

They are besides calling for an end to alleged “land grabs” in the Harlem vicinity of fresh York City and Palestine, no more police on the university campus, and no more academicties with Israel universities.

However, negotiations between university officials and student protest leaders Broke down earlier in the day erstwhile the university related their demands, promoting officials to issue the 2 p.m. deadline.
In a statement, Minouche Shafik, Columbia’s president, said that ultimate, the university will not divest from Israel, adding that the school is committed to mainstreaming its core principals and shared values, which include engaging no students propose from harassment and discrimination and no anti-Semitic language is used.

Columbia University students protest the Israel-Gaza conflict at Columbia University in fresh York City, on April 27, 2024. (Emel Akan/The Epoch Times)

School, Students neglect to scope Agreement

“Both sides in these discussions put forward robust and thoughful offers and worked in good religion to scope common ground,” Ms. Shafik said. “We thank them all for their superior work, long hours, and caring effort and want they had reached a different outcome.”

While the University will not divest from Israel, it has offered to “develop an expedited timeline for review of fresh proposals from the students by the Advisory Committee for Socially liable Investing, the body that hosts exploration matters,” Ms. Shafik noted.

“The University besides offered to print a process for students to access a list of Columbia’s direct investment holdings, and to increase the frequency of updates to that list of holdings,” she added.

Ben Chang, vice president for communications at Columbia University, confirmed the suspensions had begun in a press conference summertime Monday, USA present reports.

He added that students had been notified in advance that they would face educational action, including suspension if they did not vacation the encampment by 2 p.m. ET and sign a form commissioning to abide by a student politicals until either June 30, 2025, or until their graduation, whichever came first.

The site of the protests has created an unwelcoming environment for many judaic students and successful members, he said. It has besides been a origin of loud noise.

“We’ve been suspending students as part of this next phase of our efforts to guarantee on campus,” Mr. Chang said.

Mr. Chang did not supply further details regarding how many students from Columbia and its affiliate Barnard College have been discounted. However, he confirmed that these suspended would not be able to finish the semiester or graduate, Axios reports.

They will besides be banned from Entering any campus housing or academic buildings, he added.

Juliette Fairley submitted to this report.