Multiple pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested after occupying Butler Library on Columbia University’s campus on Wednesday.
A group of protesters, many donning masks and carrying drums, made their way to the security entrance of Butler Library on Wednesday afternoon. They displayed signs supporting Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia alumnus, who was reportedly taken into custody by ICE. This protest is part of ongoing demonstrations aiming to highlight the situation surrounding Khalil.
The Columbia University apartheid sales campaign expressed in the Sassar Post that “as long as Colombia profits from imperialist violence, the library will remain a site of protest to challenge its legitimacy.”
The Trump administration had previously criticized Columbia for not adequately addressing anti-Semitism on campus and recently withdrew $400 million in federal research funding over this issue.
Reportedly, about an hour into the protest, the crowd attempted to leave the reading room but was halted by personnel asking for identification.
An officer used a megaphone to inform students that providing their ID would allow them to exit “without any issues,” but failure to do so could lead to arrests.
The NYPD mentioned that “multiple” arrests occurred but did not provide specific figures.
In a statement, Columbia University warned that students could face disciplinary actions. They described it as “completely unacceptable” for individuals to disrupt academic activities while others were studying for final exams.
Representative Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) urged educational institutions to respond promptly to the protests. She commented, “While Columbia students are trying to prepare for finals, they are faced with chants of ‘Global Intifada.’ President Trump is correct; we cannot support a university that permits chaos, anti-Semitism, or violations of civil rights. Columbia must take action.”
