Pro-Palestinian Protesters Arrested in US

Tensions flared again at Columbia University on Wednesday as dozens of students were arrested during a sit-in protest at the university’s main library in support of Palestine.

The demonstration, which took place inside Butler Library, echoed the widespread campus protests seen last spring that positioned Columbia as a key hub for the pro-Palestinian student movement in the United States.

The latest protest prompted university officials to call in the New York Police Department, leading to a large-scale police response and multiple arrests.

The university cited safety concerns and unauthorised entry into restricted campus areas as the reasons for the intervention.

The demonstration unfolded against a backdrop of rising tensions after the Trump administration recently announced it would withdraw around \$400 million in federal funding from Columbia University. This move followed allegations of rising antisemitism on campus.

New York police confirmed their intervention was made at the formal request of university administration. 

According to a statement from interim Columbia President Claire Shipman, protesters had occupied parts of the library and refused to leave despite multiple warnings. She also reported that two campus security officers were injured during the incident.

Shipman defended the decision to involve police, citing growing security concerns and reports of individuals unaffiliated with the university participating in the protest. 

She stated that disruption of academic activities would not be tolerated and condemned all forms of violence and antisemitism.

Meanwhile, the student group Columbia Against Apartheid, which organised the demonstration, said the occupation aimed to pressure the university to divest from companies that support Israel’s operations in Palestinian territories.

The protest has also drawn attention at the federal level. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a review of visa statuses for foreign students involved in the demonstrations, intensifying the national spotlight on campus activism and civil liberties.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams weighed in via social media, expressing support for peaceful protest but firmly denouncing illegal actions.