Police Arrest Over 100 at Columbia Pro-Palestine Student Protest
Summary from the AllSides News Team
New York police arrested over 100 students at Columbia University as they dispersed a pro-Palestine protest encampment, coinciding with Columbia President Nemat Shafik’s testimony to the House education committee.
The Details: Hundreds of students and faculty gathered hours before Shafik’s testimony on Wednesday, setting up tents in Columbia University’s South Lawn. Competing pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian rallies grew throughout the day. The student-run Columbia Spectator reported that the university administration planned to suspend anyone who remained in the encampment after 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Four people were arrested overnight, and on Thursday, Shafik asked the NYPD to help remove the protesters, who reportedly did not resist arrest.
How the Media Covered It: Some prominent right-rated outlets sensationalized the story; Fox News (Right bias), for instance, featured a headline on its homepage saying “anti-Israel agitators” had been “zip-tied” after “fiery protests.” Similarly, the New York Post (Lean Right bias) said, “cops in riot gear swarmed the campus.” Both Fox News and the Post highlighted the perspective of Jewish students who criticized the pro-Palestine protesters. Coverage from mainstream left-rated outlets was generally less exaggerated, although Al Jazeera (Lean Left bias) sensationally said police “stormed the campus.” Outlets across the spectrum covered the suspension of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) daughter in connection to the protests.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
NYPD arrests students, clears Columbia University campus of pro-Palestinian protest encampment
NYPD officers arrested more than 100 Columbia University students Thursday after groups protesting the war in Gaza refused to take down a two-day encampment zone.
Hundreds of cops flooded the campus in the early afternoon with buses on standby to transport those arrested. Students continued to chant on the lawn throughout the day, and began setting up new tents some yards away.
“I regret that all of these attempts to resolve the situation were rejected by the students involved,” university president Minouche Shafik said in a message to students. “As a result, NYPD officers are now...
From the Right
Cops storm Columbia, bust 100 anti-Israel protesters after university prez finally tells NYPD to clear campus
More than 100 protesters were cuffed and hauled away from Columbia University when NYPD cops in riot gear swarmed the campus Thursday after the president made the bombshell decision to clear a large anti-Israel protest encampment.
Scores of protesters – including some who had to be carried away — were quickly filed onto waiting NYPD corrections buses.
A huge crowd of other demonstrators then defiantly swarmed to the police vehicles to temporarily block them from leaving the scene.
Jewish students told The Post that the the anti-Israel protesters, some of whom espoused support for...
From the Center
NYPD makes arrests at Columbia as protest encampment is removed
Officers with the New York Police Department (NYPD) were clad in riot gear Thursday during a pro-Palestinian demonstration at Columbia University, where protesters set up an encampment of dozens of tents on campus.
Photos circulating on social media and various media outlets showed dozens of police officers in body armor and face shields lined up around Columbia University Thursday afternoon. Officers arrested dozens of demonstrators Thursday, The New York Times reported. NYPD declined to provide any details on the arrests as the situation is ongoing.
Demonstrators set up an encampment of tents that...
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