Protesters created a barrier in front of one of the buildings and brought furniture and other objects to create a barricade in protest against Israel’s war against the Islamist group Hamas.
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Dozens of protesters took over the Columbia University building in New York on Tuesday morning, blocking the entrances and displaying a Palestinian flag from the window.
In the latest escalation of demonstrations against Israel’s war against the Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, which have spread to several American universities, protesters at Columbia University erected a barrier in front of one of the buildings and carried away furniture and other objects to create a barricade. .
The student radio station, WKCR-FMreported the storming of the building, which occurred almost 12 hours after the deadline for protesters to leave a camp of about 120 tents, under threat of being suspended.
In message on social networkThe protesters said they intend to remain in the building until the university gives in to the three demands of the groups promoting this initiative: divestment, financial transparency and amnesty.
PRESS RELEASE:
We are frustrated by media distractions that focus on incendiary people who do not represent us.
We firmly reject any form of hatred or intolerance and oppose non-students attempting to disrupt our solidarity. #cu4palestina pic.twitter.com/pOhtauKhle— Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (@ColumbiaSJP) April 22, 2024
Protests have occurred at several universities in different cities in the United States and institutions are debating how to evict students camping in protest as graduation ceremonies approach, and some negotiations with other institutions have resorted to the police force already. ultimatums that resulted in confrontations. with security agents.
Deans criticized for trying to contain pro-Palestinian protests at US universities
Dozens of people were arrested on Monday during protests at universities in Texas, Utah, Virginia and New Jersey, while the Columbia University announced that it had begun suspending studentsafter calling the police to evict the students camped in the central square of their facilities.
Yale and New Haven police also surrounded the encampment in the university’s central plaza, explaining that anyone found within the blocked off area would be subject to arrest and suspension if they did not leave.
Also on Tuesday, police entered an encampment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at the University of Connecticut, officers ordered protesters to remove their tents.
Source: Observadora
