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yesterday

Columbia University Suspends Over 65 Students Following Library Takeover

The university faces backlash after arresting 80 protesters and enacting disciplinary measures against students involved in a pro-Palestinian demonstration during finals week.

FILE - A New York City police officer keeps watch on the campus of Columbia University in New York, Monday, May 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Pro-Palestinian protesters take part in a demonstration at Butler Library on the Columbia University campus in New York, U.S., May 7, 2025. REUTERS/Dana Edwards/File Photo
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Brooklyn College's campus is seen in Flatbush in 2024.

Overview

  • Columbia University temporarily suspended more than 65 students and barred 33 others from campus following a pro-Palestinian protest at Butler Library on May 7, 2025.
  • The NYPD arrested approximately 80 individuals after masked demonstrators forced their way into the library, disrupted students studying for finals, and vandalized the premises.
  • Acting President Claire Shipman condemned the protest as a safety hazard, citing injuries to two public safety officers during the incident.
  • The U.S. State Department announced it is reviewing the visa statuses of international students involved, with one student's visa already revoked.
  • This protest is the latest in a series of campus demonstrations tied to broader calls for divestment from Israel and a ceasefire in Gaza, escalating tensions over free speech, safety, and federal oversight.