Following a request from the rector of Columbia University to the deputy chief of the New York police, after a long meeting of members of the rector’s authority and the board of directors of the institution, it was decided to intervene by the police to evacuate a building that had been occupied by protesters in the historic manhattan campus.

The sit-in at Hamilton Hall, which broke up early today, lasted less than 24 hours, as the Columbia administration acted immediately, having judged that there had been an escalation of tension on the part of the protesters and that a security issue had clearly arisen, which required police intervention in order to safeguard both the safety of the university community and the proper functioning of the institution.

The events of the last few hours represent the culmination of the protests over the Gaza Strip crisis that took place about two weeks ago in Columbia, first in the form of a camp in a central park of the university and finally in the occupation of Hamilton, although the The rector’s authorities believe that non-university members have a leading role in this episode.

“We have no choice”

“The occupation of Hamilton Hall and the ongoing encampments raise serious concerns for the safety of those involved and the entire community. The actions of these individuals are unfortunately escalating. Their actions have become a magnet for protesters outside our gates, which poses a serious threat to our campus and hampers the university’s ability to continue its normal operations,” Columbia Chancellor Minous Shafik said in the letter. which he sent yesterday Tuesday to Deputy Chief Michael Gerber, who is effectively the NYPD’s legal counsel.

Referring to the occupation of the Hamilton building, Ms. Shafik emphasizes that the facts “leave us no choice”, adding that with the support of the board of directors she reached the decision that “the occupation, encampments and related disturbances constitute a clear and present danger to people, property and the essential operation of the university”.

Chancellor Shafiq even asked the police to maintain their presence on the campus until “at least May 17” to “maintain order and ensure that the camps are not set up again.”

Opposites in deeds, not in ideas

However, the university, known for its historically progressive student and academic community, made it clear that it did not act because it opposed the ideas of the squatters and protesters, but because their actions endangered the whole.

“The decision to contact the NYPD came in response to the actions of the protesters, not the cause they are advocating,” a Columbia spokesman said in a written statement. “We have made it clear that campus life cannot be endlessly disrupted by protesters breaking the rules and the law.”

Many squatters, who had used vending machines and other objects to barricade themselves inside Hamilton Hall, were taken into custody and taken to police buses.

The university’s spokesman said the protesters “chose to escalate,” causing a “sustainable” situation, noting that at Hamilton there have been incidents of vandalism, destruction and the eviction of university employees.

“The safety of our community, especially our students, remains our top priority,” he concludes.

The protests that began in Columbia in mid-April have spread to college campuses across the United States, raising new challenges for chancellors as dozens of American universities try to protect the right to free anti-war speech while avoiding violence, extreme activism or anti-Semitism.