Official Columbia University communications

NYPD in Riot Gear Uses Tear Gas, Arrests 100 at Columbia University Protest

May 1, 2024, 02:10 AM

Hundreds of NYPD officers in riot gear stormed Columbia University to address a pro-Palestinian protest that escalated into a campus occupation. The officers, responding to a request from university administrators, moved to clear protesters who had barricaded themselves inside Hamilton Hall. The operation involved mass arrests, with approximately 100 individuals detained, and the deployment of tear gas. An MRAP SWAT vehicle was also reported on the scene. This police action comes after nearly two weeks of protests at the university by students opposing Israel's war in Gaza. The situation led to the university instructing all students to shelter in place and legal observers being blocked from the area.