Anti-Israel protesters have taken over a building at Columbia University in New York City after reportedly holding hostages briefly.
The occupation of Hamilton Hall at about 1 a.m. Tuesday came hours after the college said it would suspend students who refused to leave a tent encampment, according to the New York Post.
The initial burst to seize the academic building came while some facilities workers were still inside, according to the Columbia Spectator, the university's student newspaper.
Holy…. pic.twitter.com/42Lw4kaRHY
— Jessica Schwalb (@jessicaschwalb7) April 30, 2024
A member of Facilities has stated he is being taken hostage inside Hamilton Hall.
— Bwog (@bwog) April 30, 2024
The protesters allowed them out then re-sealed the building with barricades.
One worker yelled, “They held me hostage,” according to the Columbia Spectator.
The protesters, critical of Israel's war against the murderous terrorist group Hamas, broke doors and smashed windows as they gained entry while fellow protesters formed a human barricade to ensure authorities would not interfere.
Once inside, they barricaded themselves in and blocked doors while covering security cameras.
Anarchists dressed in all black are breaking in through windows at the Columbia College campus in NYC.
This is bad pic.twitter.com/Lp7vmBpGqI
— Viral News NYC (@ViralNewsNYC) April 30, 2024
Two students tried to block the takeover, with one saying, “You don’t have a right to tear down our University.”
So much for “peaceful protests” at Columbia University.
Violence is not a bug but a feature of the pro-Hamas encampment movement, which has a deep rot of Anti-Americanism and AntiSemitism at its core. pic.twitter.com/rMYwAj3rYd
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) April 30, 2024
Tuesday morning, police were in a holding position outside the campus and had not tried to enter the building.
Protesters said they want Columbia to divest from any investments inIsrael and give amnesty to all protesters.
Columbia University faculty attempting to prevent the removal of protest encampment. Know who’s teaching your little darlings when you send them off to college.pic.twitter.com/COhZlU0s6y
— dei gratia (@JackoEdward) April 30, 2024
Early Tuesday, protesters chanted “no divestment, no commencement.”
The Columbia University Apartheid Divest group indicated Monday it wanted to expand its grip on the campus after defying a 2 p.m. deadline to close down the tent encampment there.
