A dramatic video has emerged that shows NYPD officers in riot gear storming through the window of a Columbia University building on Tuesday to remove hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters who had barricaded themselves inside, amid ongoing anti-Israel protests on campus.
The cops successfully removed the group that entered Hamilton Hall early Tuesday morning at the Ivy League school, according to police sources. Dozens of Emergency Service Unit officers arrived on the Morningside Heights campus at 9:13 pm, but faced resistance at the front door, which was barricaded. Dozens were arrested near the building after police officers, equipped with zip ties and pepper spray, gained access by entering through a window.
Police Descend on Columbia University Campus
Several protesters appeared unfazed as they stood in the doorway with only a glass pane separating them from the officers, while their comrades on the streets shouted "Pigs!"
The NYPD deployed its Mobile Adjustable Ramp System (MARS). Dozens of police officers then entered the area by using a ramp attached to a Lenco Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Vehicle to reach an upper window.
They deployed flashbang grenades to disorient the protesters.
Within just 20 minutes, multiple arrests were made. Protesters, many of whom covered their faces with surgical masks or keffiyehs, were escorted out of Hamilton Hall and placed onto three NYPD buses.
Throughout the process, several demonstrators continued to voice anti-Israel sentiments, with at least one seen crying.
Officers also stationed themselves in front of off-campus housing and were met with hostile shouts of "NYPD, KKK, IOF! They're all the same!"
Columbia University issued a statement just 15 minutes after police entered the campus, saying it "regretted" having to resort to law enforcement to address the situation.
"After the University learned overnight that Hamilton Hall had been occupied, vandalized and blockaded, we were left with no choice. Columbia public safety personnel were forced out of the building, and a member of our facilities team was threatened. We will not risk the safety of our community or the potential for further escalation," the administration said.
Administration Helpless
The Ivy League institution stated that it had made the decision for NYPD intervention early Tuesday morning, hours before Police Commissioner Edward Caban indicated that his officers would be prepared to mobilize upon receiving the call.
"The decision to reach out to the NYPD was in response to the actions of the protesters, not the cause they are championing," officials continued.
"We have made it clear that the life of campus cannot be endlessly interrupted by protesters who violate the rules and the law."
The NYPD had already mobilized to approach the campus hours earlier, with about 100 officers from the NYPD's Emergency Service Unit boarding buses and heading to Columbia in preparation for the university's request for help, according to sources.
Dozens more officers, dressed in riot gear and carrying zip-tie handcuffs, gathered on a street corner, seemingly awaiting further instructions. As the NYPD blocked pedestrian and vehicular traffic on 114th Street and Broadway, spectators condemned their actions, chanting "Shame, shame, shame!"
About 45 minutes before the NYPD's intervention, Columbia University issued a shelter-in-place directive for students due to "heightened activity" on the Morningside campus, warning that those who did not comply would face disciplinary action.
The university's Chapter of the American Association of University Professors released a critical statement, accusing Columbia's administration of disregarding faculty offers to "defuse the situation."
"We hold University leadership responsible for the disastrous lapses of judgment that have gotten us to this point. The University President, her senior staff, and the Board of Trustees will bear responsibility for any injuries that may occur during any police action on our campus," the group said.
NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban confirmed earlier on Tuesday that the department would intervene if necessary, similar to their actions two weeks prior when student protesters initially established their mini tent city.
"Once the university acts for our help, the NYPD will be there ready to assist them," Caban emphasized.
Police officials said that those arrested inside Hamilton Hall would be charged with third-degree burglary, criminal mischief, and trespassing. Others arrested at the South Lawn's encampment would be charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct.
Meanwhile, NYPD leadership disclosed on Tuesday that the group of masked agitators who forcibly entered Hamilton Hall overnight consisted of "professional outside agitators" who were not associated with Columbia University or the pro-Palestinian cause.
