New York City police officers removed 100 protesters in a campus operation after the president of Columbia University decided to evacuate and disperse an ongoing anti-Israel rally.
Following the arrests, other protesters attempted to block all NYPD buses carrying those arrested out of the area.
Dozens of police in bulletproof vests and helmets arrived at the Morningside Heights campus shortly after 1 p.m. and surrounded protesters who had been setting up tents at the site since Wednesday morning. More than 100 students ignored requests to evacuate the student-owned property, even after administrators warned them to leave by 9 p.m. Wednesday or face criminal consequences.
Police initially entered the campus and warned protesters that if they did not leave, they would be arrested. The protesters ignored their warning, after which mass arrests began. According to NYP, the protesting students sat quietly in rows and did not resist arrest.
Spectators condemned what was happening and shouted for the authorities to retreat and not continue arrests, chanting “shame, shame, shame!” and demanding to “let them go!” Before entering the university grounds, police blocked off 114th and 115th streets south of the main entrance.
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