Police make 300 arrests at Columbia university Gaza protest after activists barricade themselves inside
1 May 2024, 16:20
Police have stormed the campuses of two US universities after pro-Palestine protests descended into chaos.
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Police raided a protest overnight at Columbia, in New York. The protesters had taken over a university building called Hamilton Hall and barricaded themselves inside.
After making the arrests, police said that the protest had put the public, students and staff at risk.
Police commissioner Edward Caban said students had tried to lock officers out of Hamilton Hall.
University bosses had earlier sent a notice sent to protesters in the encampment on Monday said that if they left by the designated time and sign a form committing to abide by university policies through to June 2025 or an earlier graduation, they could finish the term in good standing.
If not, the letter said, they would be suspended, pending further investigation.
Students and others at universities across the US have been sparring over the Israel-Hamas war and its mounting death toll. Many students are demanding their universities cut financial ties with Israel.
Close to 1,000 people have been arrested in pro-Palestine protests at universities across the US.
Dozens were arrested at the City University of New York on Tuesday, 36 at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and five at Florida University.
Earlier, about 275 people were arrested on Saturday at various campuses including Indiana University at Bloomington, Arizona State University and Washington University in St Louis.
Students calling for an end to the fighting in Gaza had also set up encampments at University College Los Angeles (UCLA).
Fighting broke out between pro-Palestine and pro-Israel groups at the Los Angeles university, with footage showing people trying to haul down barricades at the edge of encampments.
At UCLA, other videos emerged on social media that showed people throwing objects at protesters in the camps, as well as fireworks being set off.
Pro-Israel protesters arrived in the middle of the night to try to tear down barricades, according to local media. A university newspaper reporter said that tear gas was used in the clashes.
UCLA vice-chancellor Mary Osako said: "Horrific acts of violence occurred at the encampment tonight, and we immediately called law enforcement for mutual aid support.
“The fire department and medical personnel are on the scene. We are sickened by this senseless violence and it must end.”
Police arrived at about 9.30am UK time (01.30 am local time).
The Los Angeles mayor's office said the force was "responding immediately to [the university's] request for support on campus".
