Columbia University releases statement after organizing with NYPD to clear ... trends now
Columbia University has released a statement after the school organized with the NYPD to clear pro-Palestine protestors out of college buildings.
On Tuesday night, New York City cops dressed in riot gear stormed through the window of Hamilton Hall, which students violently took over earlier in the day, to flush out dozens of pro-Palestine protesters.
Dozens of people were arrested near the building after cops armed with zip ties and pepper spray broke in via a window.
The raid comes after Columbia leaders asked NYPD to come to the campus 'to restore order and safety' following an escalation in the protester's tactics.
In a statement the university said: '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.
On Tuesday night, New York City cops dressed in riot gear stormed through the window of Hamilton Hall , which students violently took over earlier in the day, to flush out dozens of pro-Palestine protesters
This decision was made to restore safety and order to our community,' the school said. (pictured: A protestor being restrained by officers)
NYPS officers are seen arrested a protestor as she sits on the ground with a keffiyeh around her neck
'We regret that protesters have chosen to escalate the situation through their actions. After the University learned overnight that Hamilton Hall had been occupied, vandalized, and blockaded, we were left with no choice.
'Columbia public safety personnel were forced out of the building, and a member of our facilities team was threatened. We will not risk the safety of our community or the potential for further escalation.
'The leadership team, including the Board of Trustees, met throughout the night and into the early morning, consulting with security experts and law enforcement to determine the best plan to protect our students and the entire Columbia community.
The statement continued: '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.
'We believe that the group that broke into and occupied the building is led by individuals who are not affiliated with the University. Sadly, this dangerous decision followed more than a week of what had been productive discussions with representatives of the West Lawn encampment.
'We severely curtailed the number of people on Morningside campus starting Tuesday morning. Over the course of the day, we updated our community on access to campus buildings, and will continue to do so through the next few days.
'The decision to reach out to the NYPD was in response to the actions of the protesters, not the cause they are championing. We have made it clear that the life of campus cannot be endlessly interrupted by protesters who violate the rules and the law.
A protestor is seen through a rainy NYPD bus window as officers loaded them on after evicting them from the school building
An encampment first sprung up at the school on April 17 after the university's president Minouche Shafik was hauled before Congress to address
