Pro-Palestinian protests spread, get more heated as schools' reactions differ

Dozens of protesters took complete a building astatine Columbia University successful New York early Tuesday, barricading nan entrances and unfurling a Palestinian emblem retired a model successful nan latest escalation of demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war that person dispersed to assemblage campuses nationwide.

Video footage showed protesters connected Columbia's Manhattan field locking arms successful beforehand of Hamilton Hall early Tuesday and carrying furnishings and metallic barricades to nan building, 1 of respective that was occupied during a 1968 civilian authorities and anti-Vietnam War protestation connected nan campus. Posts connected an Instagram page for protestation organizers soon aft midnight urged group to protect nan encampment and subordinate them astatine Hamilton Hall.

"An autonomous group reclaimed Hind's Hall, antecedently known arsenic "Hamilton Hall," successful grant of Hind Rajab, a martyr murdered astatine nan hands of nan genocidal Israeli authorities astatine nan property of six years old," CU Apartheid Divest posted connected X, formerly known arsenic Twitter, early Tuesday.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators connected nan Columbia University field show a banner earlly connected April 30, 2024 arsenic they barricade themselves wrong Hamilton Hall and sanction it aft a Palestinian kid allegedly killed by nan Israeli subject 3 months earlier. Alex Kent / Getty Images

The student power station, WKCR-FM, broadcasted a play-by-play of nan hall's takeover - which occurred astir 12 hours aft Monday's 2 p.m. deadline for nan protesters to time off an encampment of astir 120 tents aliases look suspension.

In the X post, protestors said they planned to stay astatine nan hallway until nan assemblage conceded to nan CUAD's 3 demands: divestment, financial transparency and amnesty.

Columbia inferior Jessica Schwalb told CBS News nan field is "lawless. Utter ancarchy." She said demonstrators successful Hamilton Hall "zip-tied nan doorhandles together and past collapsed nan windows, bashed nan windows pinch hammers and put these metallic motorcycle locks astir nan doorway handles. They put nan motorcycle fastener connected nan first group of doors is what I saw and past they were bringing tables, nan dense achromatic metallic tables from nan eating area that's correct successful beforehand of Hamilton Hall, and had a group of group push them up against nan doorway handles arsenic a barricade and past group were besides bringing furnishings from Hamilton Hall to barricade inside."

Chairs and desks are seen being utilized to artifact doors as  pro-Palestinian protesters astatine Columbia University barricade themselves wrong Hamilton Hall connected April 30, 2024. Alex Kent / Getty Images

Columbia issued an advisory overnight saying successful part, "Early this morning, a group of protestors occupied Hamilton Hall connected nan Morningside campus. In ray of nan protestation activity connected campus, members of nan University organization who tin debar coming to nan Morningside field coming (Tuesday, April 30) should do so; basal unit should study to activity according to assemblage policy."

The large picture

Universities crossed nan U.S. are grappling pinch really to clear retired encampments arsenic commencement ceremonies approach, pinch immoderate continuing negotiations and others turning to unit and ultimatums that person resulted successful clashes pinch police.

Dozens of group were arrested Monday during protests astatine universities successful Texas, Utah and Virginia, while Columbia said hours earlier nan takeover of Hamilton Hall that it had started suspending students.

Demonstrators are sparring complete nan Israel-Hamas warfare and its mounting decease toll, and nan number of arrests astatine campuses nationwide is approaching 1,000 arsenic nan last days of people wrap up. The outcry is forcing colleges to reckon pinch their financial ties to Israel arsenic good arsenic their support for free speech. Some Jewish students opportunity nan protests person veered into antisemitism and made them acrophobic to group ft connected campus.

The plight of students who person been arrested has go a cardinal portion of protests, pinch nan students and a increasing number of module demanding amnesty for protesters. At rumor is whether nan suspensions and ineligible records will travel students done their big lives.

Schools taking various approaches

At nan University of Texas astatine Austin, an lawyer said astatine slightest 40 demonstrators were arrested Monday. The confrontation was an escalation connected nan 53,000-student field successful nan state's capital, wherever much than 50 protesters were arrested past week.

Later Monday, dozens of officers successful riot cogwheel astatine nan University of Utah sought to break up an encampment extracurricular nan assemblage president's agency that went up successful nan afternoon. Police dragged students disconnected by their hands and feet, snapping nan poles holding up tents and zip-tying those who refused to disperse. Seventeen group were arrested. The assemblage says it's against codification to campy overnight connected schoolhouse spot and that nan students were fixed respective warnings to disperse earlier constabulary were called in.

The Texas protestation and others - including successful Canada and Europe - grew retired of Columbia's early demonstrations that person continued.

On Monday, student activists defied nan 2 p.m. deadline to time off nan encampment. Instead, hundreds of protesters remained. A fistful of counter-demonstrators waved Israeli flags, and 1 held a motion reading, "Where are nan anti-Hamas chants?"

While nan assemblage didn't telephone constabulary to roust nan demonstrators, schoolhouse spokesperson Ben Chang said suspensions had started but could supply fewer details. Protest organizers said they were not alert of immoderate suspensions arsenic of Monday evening.

Columbia's handling of nan demonstrations besides has prompted national complaints.

A class-action suit connected behalf of Jewish students alleges a breach of statement by Columbia, claiming nan assemblage grounded to support a safe learning environment, contempt policies and promises. It besides challenges nan move distant from in-person classes and seeks speedy tribunal action requiring Columbia to supply information for nan students.

Meanwhile, a ineligible group representing pro-Palestinian students is urging nan U.S. Department of Education's civilian authorities agency to analyse Columbia's compliance pinch nan Civil Rights Act of 1964 for really they person been treated.

A assemblage spokesperson declined to remark connected nan complaints.

In a uncommon case, Northwestern University said it reached an statement pinch students and module who correspond nan mostly of protesters connected its field adjacent Chicago. It allows serene demonstrations done nan June 1 extremity of outpouring classes and successful exchange, requires removal of each tents isolated from 1 for aid, and restricts nan objection area to let only students, module and unit unless nan assemblage approves otherwise.

At nan University of Southern California, organizers of a ample encampment sat down pinch assemblage President Carol Folt for astir 90 minutes connected Monday. Folt declined to talk specifications but said she heard nan concerns of protesters and talks would proceed Tuesday.

USC sparked a contention April 15 erstwhile officials refused to let nan valedictorian, who has publically supported Palestinians, to make a commencement speech, citing nonspecific information concerns for their uncommon decision. Administrators past scrapped nan keynote reside by filmmaker Jon M. Chu, who is an alumnus, and declined to grant immoderate honorary degrees.

The backlash, arsenic good arsenic Columbia's demonstrations, inspired nan encampment and protests connected field past week week wherever 90 group were arrested by constabulary successful riot gear. The assemblage has canceled its main graduation event.

Administrators elsewhere tried to salvage their commencements and respective person ordered nan clearing of encampments successful caller days. When those efforts person failed, officials threatened discipline, including suspension, and imaginable arrest.

But students dug successful their heels astatine different high-profile universities, pinch standoffs continuing astatine Harvard, nan University of Pennsylvania, Yale and others. Police successful riot cogwheel astatine Virginia Commonwealth University sought to break up an encampment location precocious Monday and fought pinch protesters.

In:
• Hamas
• Israel
• Protests
• Columbia University
• Gaza Strip