Pro-Palestinian students occupy Columbia University library, reviving campus movement amid federal scrutiny – Times of India

Tensions at Columbia University reignited on Wednesday when dozens of professional-Palestinian protesters entered the primary library and staged a sit-in, disrupting pupil preparations for last exams. The demonstrators, many sporting masks and kaffiyehs, moved into the second flooring of Butler Library shortly after 3 p.m., hanging banners and chanting slogans. They renamed the area “the Basel Al-Araj Fashionable University.” The group behind the motion, Columbia University Apartheid Divest, stated in a press release that the occupation aimed to problem the college’s monetary ties to what they name “imperialist violence.” The protest is seen as a continuation of final spring’s unrest, which included the occupation of Hamilton Corridor and a subsequent police response.

This newest demonstration comes amid elevated federal scrutiny. The Trump administration has accused Columbia of failing to guard Jewish students from harassment throughout previous protests. Consequently, the administration has lower over $400 million in analysis funding to the college. Officers have additionally been pressuring Columbia to forestall additional disruptions, particularly these perceived as anti-Israel. Movies posted on social media confirmed protesters carrying backpacks and pushing previous a library safety guard earlier than heading upstairs. Columbia’s public security officers finally blocked exits, stopping some demonstrators from leaving. By 4 p.m., police stated round 60 people had been concerned. A college spokesperson confirmed that just one studying room was affected and said that these concerned would face disciplinary motion. “It’s fully unacceptable that some people are selecting to disrupt educational actions,” the college stated, as library workers evacuated students.