More than 70 pro-Palestine protesters were arrested and led out of Columbia University’s Butler Library on Wednesday, May 7, the Columbia Spectator reported.
This footage filmed by Elisha Baker shows demonstrators, many of whom were wearing keffiyehs, chanting for Palestine, defacing parts of Butler Library, and heckling police officers.
Columbia University Acting President Claire Shipman said in a statement NYPD officers were called to the campus after the protesters gathered inside and outside of the library.
“Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams,” she said.
“Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today.”
Prior to the arrests, students inside the library published a statement to social media.
“Despite over three hours of kettling and assault by Columbia Public Safety, we continue to hold the line,” CU Apartheid Divest wrote.
“We are facing one of the largest militarized police forces in the world (…) We refuse to go down quietly.”
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