Pro-Palestine demonstrators who occupied Hamilton Hall on Columbia University's New York campus were sharply detained as a result of police entering the building.
Before asking for help from the Columbia New York Police Department (NYPD), law enforcement officials had said they 'believe the protests were 'seized by instigators from outside'.
New York City's Democratic Mayor Eric Adams also suggested that the protest was 'in cooperation with professional external instigators who want to create chaos' in a statement before the police attack.
NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban called the invasion of Hamilton Hall and other actions taken last night and this morning 'unacceptable' and said the NYPD was ready to help the university at any time.
Tent camp on campus was also 'captured' by police
'Protesters choose to climb unto a vulnerable situation, such as damaging property, breaking doors and windows, and blocking entrances,' a university spokesman Ben Chang said in a statement early in.
First, Columbia and Barnard students were called by school officials to stay in their place. Afterwards, the university asked the NYPD to show presence on campus by at least May 17, two days after the planned graduation.
Private police units entered Hamilton Hall through the second floor window using a large truck and a ramp. About 40 people were detained on the first floor of the building, the NYPD said.
NYPD officials arrived at Columbia University just after 9 p.m. and declared the campus 'clean' just before 11 p.m.
About 100 people were detained as NYPD officials seized Hamilton Hall, which was occupied at Columbia University tonight, and the tent camp where students set up to protest the war in Gaza.
White House condemns use of word 'intifada'
“President Biden respects the right to freedom of _expression_, but protests must be peaceful and legal,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates said earlier yesterday. Forcibly seizing buildings is not peaceful, it is wrong. "Hate speech and hate symbols have no place in America," he signaled Columbia to the operation.
The White House stressed that Biden 'has stood against disgusting, antisemitic defamations and violent rhetoric throughout his life'.
The spokesperson added that Biden 'condemned the use of the term 'intifada' as well as other tragic and dangerous hate speech'.
'School everyment' threat from university administration
Columbia University also warned that it would expel pro-Palestinian students who occupied Hamilton Hall from school.
In the statement made by the university spokesperson Ben Chang, "We made it very clear yesterday that the university's work could not be interrupted forever by protesters who violated the rules. Protesters who continue to act in this way will face clear results. Protesters have chosen to climb into an untensible situation, such as damaging property, breaking doors and windows, and blocking entrances, and we are implementing the results we outlined yesterday,” he said.
In the statement, it was stated that 're-establishment of order and security' was the most important priority of the administration, and it was noted that disciplinary penalties are not political.
'It's about responding to the protesters' actions, not their justification,' Chang said.
The university also said the demonstrations led to disruptions to campus. Many Columbia students are entering the final exam week, which marks the end of the 2024 Spring semester.
In the statement made by the university, “The disruptions on the campus have created a threatening environment for many of our Jewish students and faculty members and prevent teaching, learning and preparation for the final exams and VI. It was a noisy distraction that contributed to a hostile environment that violated the title [Civil Rights Act],” it said.