Student protesters occupy building at Columbia University

Student protesters at Columbia University took over a building near the campus’s South Lawn overnight, hours after the university announced it was suspending students who refused to leave a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus grounds, The Washington Post reported.

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The protesters posted a statement on Instagram saying they have “taken matters into their own hands,” adding that the students plan to remain in Hamilton Hall until Columbia divests financially from Israel. Minouche Shafik, Columbia’s president, said Monday in a statement that the university will not divest from Israel.

White House denounces takeover

Update 11:25 a.m. EDT April 30: The White House denounced the takeover of the Columbia University building as “absolutely the wrong approach” that is “not an example of peaceful protest.” John Kirby, a spokesman for President Joe Biden, told reporters.

“A small percentage of students shouldn’t be able to disrupt the academic experience and the legitimate study for the rest of the student body. Students paying to go to school and wanting an education ought to able to do that without disruption,” Kirby said.

Original story:

Video footage showed protesters on Columbia’s Manhattan campus locking arms in front of Hamilton Hall early Tuesday and carrying furniture and metal barricades to the building, the AP reported.

Columbia University officials have limited campus access to students and essential employees, according to The Associated Press.

The college’s public safety team said in an update Tuesday morning that the only access point is now at 116th Street and Amsterdam Gate.

“This access restriction will remain in place until circumstances allow otherwise,” the update said.

One student described the campus as “lawless, utter anarchy,” The BBC reported. Demonstrators broke the building’s windows to enter before blocking the doors with furniture.

Students cheered as flags, including one that reads “Gaza Calls, Columbia Falls,” were unfurled from windows of the occupied building, according to Time.

Posts on Instagram urged people to protect the encampment and join protesters at Hamilton Hall.

According to The New York Times, protesters said an “autonomous group” had taken over the building and renamed it “Hind Hall” in honor of Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old girl who was killed in Gaza this year.

The student radio station, WKCR-FM, broadcast a play-by-play of the hall’s takeover, the AP reported. The university had set a 2 p.m. deadline for the protesters to leave an encampment of around 120 tents or face suspension.

Students were not only told to break up the encampment established last week but were warned not to set up any more such areas on the school’s campus.

However, at around 3 a.m. Tuesday, at least 17 tents were erected on Lewisohn Lawn, outside Lewisohn Hall, an area not far from Hamilton Hall, the building the students have taken over.

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