Nighttime Raids – Did NYPD Go Too Far?

Associate professor Joseph A. Howley of the Columbia campus shared the wording of a memo alerting campus staff of the approaching raid.

“The NYPD is meeting at this hour on blocked roadways outside Columbia University’s gates.” Teachers at Columbia have been ignoring or rejecting our offers to help diffuse the tension on campus for the whole day. Despite our repeated requests to reopen our campus, they have either ignored or disregarded us. This is not a novel concept. Over the last two weeks, Columbia faculty has sought to address the matter, but top university administration has blocked them from doing so.”

“Having the NYPD in our area puts our whole community in jeopardy.” When armed police officers walk into our school, everyone on campus is at risk. Therefore, university laws mandate faculty consultation, a requirement that has seemingly been ignored both tonight and since April 17. We hold the university administration accountable for the catastrophic judgment errors that led us to this situation. “Any injuries that may result from a police action on our campus will be the responsibility of the Board of Trustees, the University President, and her senior staff.”

Police reportedly entered Hamilton Hall, which demonstrators had been occupying since Tuesday.

According to Fox News,

“The NYPD was breaking down barriers at Hamilton Hall with sledgehammers, according to radio reporting from WKCR live from Columbia University.”On Monday, the school had anti-Israel demonstrators occupying Hamilton Hall. Police reportedly started removing students from the hall shortly before 9:30 p.m., according to WKCR. WKCR radio sources state that NYPD cops used tear gas on anti-Israel demonstrators at Columbia University.”

Around 9 p.m. on Tuesday, the NYPD started closing in on the demonstrators. It seems like they concentrated on getting Hamilton Hall on campus cleared. On Tuesday, protestors had taken over the premises. One of the windows was filled with protesters raising a Palestinian flag. Someone was seen on the ground outside the hall, according to the student radio station. According to the radio report, there was a sound of a fire alarm inside the building. “There is footage of police escorting protestors from the property.”

The police put arrested protesters on buses, most likely to take them to the station where they would face various charges.

On campus, there is a noticeable police presence, with officers wearing riot gear.

In an X post, Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine denounced the police action:

To be clear, on April 30, 1968—the 56th anniversary of the last time Columbia University called the cops onto campus to arrest over 700 protestors over the Vietnam War and Harlem gentrification—the university has called the cops on its own students for the second time in two weeks.

In a statement, Columbia authorities claimed that the NYPD’s presence was necessary to “restore safety and order to our city.”