HARROWING video shows pro-Palestine protesters using hammers to smash their way through Columbia University buildings, leaving destruction in their paths.
Hundreds of protesters were arrested in New York City last night as fierce demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas War rage on across college campuses nationwide.
On Tuesday, waves of New York Police Department officers dressed in riot gear descended on Columbia's campus after the university's president said it was illegal for pro-Palestine to camp out on the school's private property.
The protesters had refused to leave and started infiltrating closed-off buildings when they were forcibly removed.
Across the country, police were also called to the University of California, Los Angeles after protesters and counterprotesters clashed in a violent on-campus war.
Encampments are being dismantled at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.
At Columbia, some demonstrators were captured on video breaking into buildings, and disturbing photos released by the university show hammers and shattered glass throughout the historic college grounds.
Crowds of protesters were loaded on buses by police and shipped away from the chaos on Tuesday night, and Columbia President Minouche Shafik said they aren't all affiliated with the school.
Dramatic photos showed protesters wrapped in keffiyehs, Palestinian scarves, as they called for an end to the violence in the Middle East and divestment from Israel, which means Columbia must sell its investments in companies linked to the nation.
For days, university officials have been wrestling with how to handle the pro-Palestine protests, with some students saying the demonstrations are hindering their studies.
Last night alone over 300 students were arrested at Columbia and the City College of New York campus a mile uptown, according to police.
Cops are processing the arrests to distinguish which rioters were students and who didn't belong on the campuses, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Wednesday.
Despite the arrests, more encampments are being set up at schools like New York City's Fordham University, University of Texas at Dallas, and Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
CAMPUS CHAOS
Lawmakers are weighing the power of free speech as they decide whether the pro-Palestine protests are creating an unsafe environment for Jewish students.
A bombshell letter written by 21 House Democrats asked Columbia officials to either disband "anti-Israel, anti-Jewish activists on campus" or resign, Axios reported Monday.
Meanwhile, high-profile politicians have visited campuses to show their support for the protests.
On Friday, Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Jamaal Bowman, both from New York, both made appearances.
"The provocative images painted by Republicans and antisemitic white supremacist platforms could not be further from the truth," Bowman wrote in a statement.
However, some protesters have been reported saying Zionists do not deserve to live, or threatened terrorist attacks at schools, The New York Times reported.
Excerpts from letter written by House Democrats to Columbia University
We, the undersigned, write to express our disappointment that, despite promises to do so, Columbia University has not yet disbanded the unauthorized and impermissible encampment of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish activists on campus.
As a result of this disruption on campus, supported by some faculty members, many students have been prevented from safely attending class, the main library, and from leaving their dorm rooms in an apparent violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
For the past week, this encampment has been the breeding ground for antisemitic attacks on Jewish students, including hate speech, harassment, intimidation, and even threats of violence.
Last weekend, a student held up a sign pointing to pro-Israel students that said “Al-Qa[ss]am’s next targets,” referring to the military arm of Hamas, the foreign terrorist organization responsible for the atrocities of October 7, and for holding hostage innocent civilians – including Americans – in brutal captivity for nearly seven months.
One of the protest leaders has previously declared, “Zionists — they are Nazis. They’re Nazis. They’re fascists. They’re supporters of genocide. Why would we want people who are supporters of genocide to live?” and students routinely chanted “from the river to the sea,” which is a cry to eliminate Israel and all Jews within its borders [...]
[...] The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and assembly, but not freedom to harass and intimidate other students.
We appreciate the Columbia administration’s efforts this week to negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement that allows those in the encampment to voluntarily disburse without police intervention.
But, after nearly a week of negotiations, it is now abundantly clear that the students and activists entrenched on campus are unwilling to enter into a reasonable agreement to disband, which is necessary to bring the University into compliance with Title VI.
Those who violate the law cannot dictate the terms of the University’s ability to comply with that law. It is past time for the University to act decisively, disband the encampment, and ensure the safety and security of all of its students.
"The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and assembly, but not freedom to harass and intimidate other students," the letter written by House Democrats reads.
"It is clear to us that the university has allowed the encampment to create an environment that appears to violate its legal obligations to protect all students from discrimination and harassment."
WAR RAGES ON
The Israel Defense Force had struck back with a vicious intensity since Palestinian terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing nearly 700 civilians.
As of March, an estimated 34,000 people were killed in Gaza, which includes journalists, humanitarian aid workers, and United Nations relief agents, according to health officials.
In Israel, an estimated 1,410 people have died in the bloodshed.
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a solemn vow to invade an already-battered Gaza city filled with refugees.
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As Israel's forces press on, pressure is mounting to come to a cease-fire deal that would see the release of hostages.
As of Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was meeting with Netanyahu to negotiate a deal.
