Columbia University protesters resume demonstrations after mass arrests
Pro-Palestinian student protesters resumed a third day of demonstrations Friday at Columbia University, saying their resolve has strengthened despite mass suspensions and arrests.
Pro-Palestinian student protesters resumed a third day of demonstrations Friday at Columbia University, saying their resolve has strengthened despite mass suspensions and arrests.
“This is the moral thing to do,” said Eliette, 25, who uses they/them pronouns and declined to give their last name out of fear of retaliation from the school.
The Columbia graduate student was one of 113 people arrested Thursday after the university asked police to break up a tent encampment students had set up early Wednesday on its south lawn in support of Gaza.
Columbia President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik said in a memo to police that the protesters had ignored multiple written and verbal warnings to disperse and were trespassing and damaging campus property, among other violations.
The students who were arrested were peaceful and did not resist, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said at a news conference.
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