New York City - A large number of New York Police Department officers entered Columbia University late Tuesday night as pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the campus, according to Associated Press reports.
The NYPD responded after receiving notification from Columbia University authorizing them to take action. Police approached Hamilton Hall, the administration building that students had occupied in protest against Israeli military operations in Gaza. The protesters have also demanded the university divest from companies they believe profit from the conflict.
Live television footage showed police detaining demonstrators on campus. Some students were escorted off the premises with their hands zip-tied behind their backs, and others were loaded onto law enforcement buses, the New York Times reported.
Columbia University confirmed it reached out to police before they arrived. "A little after 9 p.m. this evening, the NYPD arrived on campus at the University's request. This decision was made to restore safety and order to our community," a university spokesperson stated.
The spokesman added that after learning Hamilton Hall had been "occupied, vandalized, and blockaded" overnight, leaving them no choice but to involve law enforcement as public safety officers were forced out and a facilities team member threatened.
"We made the decision, early in the morning, that this was a law enforcement matter, and that the NYPD were best positioned to determine and execute an appropriate response," the statement read. It reiterated the protesters included "people who are not affiliated with the University."
Police entered the building by climbing through a second-story window using a vehicle with a ladder to access the upper floor. As officers swarmed the nearby encampment, students outside jeered, shouting "Shame, shame!" Reuters reported.
The protests began after students defied a 2 p.m. Monday deadline to abandon their camp. The university then started suspending participating students. President Minouche Shafik had said efforts to reach a compromise failed and maintained the school would not stop divesting from Israel.
New York congressman Jamaal Bowman denounced the police response on social media, saying he was "outraged by the level of police presence called upon nonviolent student protestors."
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