Columbia Protests Escalate, Arrests Made

By Chandelis Duster, Christina Zdanowicz, and Lucy Bayly

April 22, 2024

In a shocking turn of events, police officers in riot gear stormed Columbia University's campus on Tuesday evening to quell pro-Palestinian protests. The protests, which have been ongoing at several major US universities, have escalated in recent days, leading to arrests and a heavy police presence.

At Columbia, dozens of protesters were arrested after officers cleared out a sit-in at Low Plaza. The university's president, Lee Bollinger, has faced criticism for his handling of the protests, which some students say has been heavy-handed.

The protests at Columbia are part of a wider movement of support for Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Students at several other universities, including Yale, Stanford, and the University of California, Berkeley, have also held protests and demonstrations.

The escalating tensions at Columbia have raised concerns about the limits of free speech and the role of police on university campuses. The university is now grappling with the fallout from its president's promise to Congress that he would not tolerate "anti-Semitic or hateful speech" on campus.

As the protests continue, it remains to be seen how the university and law enforcement will respond. The outcome of this incident could have implications for free speech and protest rights at universities across the country.