Overview
- Pro-Palestinian protesters forcibly entered Columbia University's Butler Library on May 7, declaring it a 'liberated zone' and disrupting final exam preparations.
- The university called in the NYPD after two public safety officers were injured during a crowd surge as protesters pushed past security.
- Police arrested more than 70 individuals, some of whom were reportedly unaffiliated with Columbia, for trespassing and refusing to comply with dispersal orders.
- Acting President Claire Shipman condemned the protest as a violation of university policies and announced disciplinary actions against involved students.
- Federal authorities, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are reviewing the visa statuses of arrested individuals, signaling potential deportations for non-citizen participants.