Columbia students on edge as police presence remains on campus after raid to clear protesters

the scene is startling at Columbia University a completely empty lawn with no signs of students or their prop Palestinian encampment a space where dozens of tents recently stood entirely cleared out overnight Wednesday hundreds of New York City police officers moved in at the request of University president Manu shafik to remove and arrest protesters after a group took over an occupied Hamilton Hall an academic building on campus in a statement shafik said this turn of events has filled me with deep sadness I'm sorry we reached this point in total 109 protesters were arrested and faced charges including trespassing criminal mischief and burglary an additional 173 student protesters were arrested the same night at nearby City College at Colombia student reactions are mixed it disappoints me to see like the police like arresting my fellow students it's they're just protesting they're just like speaking for what they believe in in a press briefing New York city mayor Eric Adams said events had progressed Beyond peaceful protest there's nothing peaceful about barricading building destroying property or dism dismantling security cameras we cannot allow what should be a lawful protest to turn into a violent spectacle that saves and serves no purpose but Witnesses say the police response was disproportionate to the offense and just as violent with at least one student seen lying unconscious on the ground during the police raid I'm ashamed and horrified at what the university has chosen to do to its students and the actions that it has taken it's traumatizing for the entire campus others support the decision to bring in police and wonder whether more could have been done after initial student arrests were made at the encampment last week I think um a big mistake of the first arrests um you know with encampment number one was that they uh made like abs like seems to be like zero effort to stop another encampment from being erected you know maybe if they had if they had used adequate police force to stop a second encampment from being built then we wouldn't even be here today Jewish students like Ben Solomon say recent events are distressing it's a very hostile environment for all Jewish students I haven't uh personally been physically harassed but I've spoken with Jewish friends of mine who have been spat on who have been uh physically forced to flee uh students who were considering transferring out shafik has asked police to remain on campus until May 17th 2 days after commencement ceremonies are scheduled to take place whether that move will restore calm or spark more andr remains to be seen Tina Trin vaa News New York

Channel: Voice of America

Views: 9,187

Keywords: Columbia University, Columbia University student protests, Student protests, new york

Id: 4FIe0MMl0vI

Length: 2min 55sec (175 seconds)

Published: Thu May 02 2024