Latest news with #ColumbiaPublicSafety
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
US education crisis: Over 70 students suspended at Columbia for simply studying in protest site
Columbia suspends over 70 students amid Gaza protests, including bystanders and journalists. (AP File Photo) A deepening crisis has engulfed the US education system after Columbia University and its affiliate Barnard College suspended more than 70 students following a pro-Palestine protest, including students who had no involvement in the demonstration. The suspensions came just one day after the university called in the New York Police Department to remove protesters occupying Butler Library, a key campus facility. Among those targeted were students who were simply studying in the library during the protest, as well as student journalists. The Intercept reported that suspensions were issued with little to no due process and, in some cases, reversed only after public outcry and administrative review. The incident has sparked national concern about civil liberties, racial profiling, and political influence in US higher education. Students studying, not protesting, still suspended Students such as Samra Moosa, a 20-year-old Barnard student, were caught in the crackdown despite having no role in the protest. Moosa was in Butler Library working on assignments on May 7 when around 100 protesters entered the building at approximately 3:15 p.m. As reported by The Intercept, Moosa attempted to leave but found exits blocked by protesters and campus security. She feared being misidentified as a protester, particularly as a brown, Muslim woman, and eventually left via a side exit after showing her ID to a Public Safety officer who then photographed it. By 6:02 p.m., Columbia Public Safety issued an alert stating that Butler Library was closed and must be cleared. However, Moosa had already left two hours earlier without receiving any evacuation order. On May 8, Moosa received an email from Barnard Dean Leslie Grinage suspending her 'effective immediately' based on claims from Columbia Public Safety that she had participated in the disruption. She was given 48 hours to vacate her on-campus housing and lost access to her meal card. No chance to respond, no evidence provided Moosa's appeal emphasized her innocence and the emotional toll of the accusation. As quoted by The Intercept, she wrote, 'I am deeply concerned that I have been mistakenly and unfairly identified as a protest participant,' adding that she believed assumptions were made based on her ethnic background and religion. After a meeting with Dean Grinage, her suspension was lifted late on May 10, but the college warned it could reimpose sanctions at any time. Faculty members have condemned the suspensions. Joseph Howley, associate professor of classics, told The Intercept that 'hasty punishments and violations of due process are exactly what we would expect when we allow our disciplinary and public safety policies to be dictated by political forces.' Yannik Thiem, associate professor of religion, said the measures seemed punitive and presumed guilt, as reported by The Intercept. Trump administration support and political pressure The protest and disciplinary actions occurred amid growing political scrutiny. The Trump administration, through its Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, applauded Columbia's actions and praised acting president Claire Shipman. As reported by The Intercept, the task force stated it was 'encouraged by Acting President Shipman's strong and resolute statement regarding the unlawful, violent and disgraceful takeover of Butler library. ' Howley linked the university's response to federal pressure, telling The Intercept that institutions may struggle to uphold values 'when authoritarians hold a billion-dollar gun to [their] head.' The Columbia chapter of the American Association of University Professors also criticized the lack of due process, emphasizing the need for fair treatment for all students. This episode, along with previous suspensions of 53 students after a similar protest in April, has raised urgent questions about student rights and institutional integrity across US campuses. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mostly women arrested in Columbia University library takeover: NYPD
The New York Police Department arrested 61 females after anti-Israel agitators stormed Columbia University's Butler Library on Wednesday as students were studying for finals. In total, the NYPD made 80 arrests – 19 males and 61 females, according to a source. A source also said at least 50 of the 80 protesters arrested were Columbia University students. Protesters renamed the Butler Library "Basel Al-Araj Popular University." Students at the Ivy League institution said protesters climbed on a desk and chanted "Free Palestine," and demanded that the university divest from Israel. At the entrance gate to Columbia University, a security guard said, "Nobody comes in, nobody comes out." Dozens Of Anti-israel Agitators Arrested After Storming, Taking Over Columbia University Library During Finals Claire Shipman, Columbia's acting president, said in a statement on Wednesday that the NYPD was called to help "secure" the building. She added that two university police officers were injured. Read On The Fox News App "Sadly, during the course of this disruption, two of our Columbia Public Safety Officers sustained injuries during a crowd surge when individuals attempted to force their way into the building and into Room 301," Shipman said. "These actions are outrageous." Columbia U Threatens To Arrest Anti-israel Protesters Remove Encampments As New Demostrations Loom In a separate statement, Shipman said individuals broke into one of the library's reading rooms. "Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams. Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today. We are resolute that calls for violence or harm have no place at our University," Shipman said. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was also monitoring the incident, noting the agency would work to determine if any participants were noncitizens. "Time to make a point," an ICE source told Fox article source: Mostly women arrested in Columbia University library takeover: NYPD
Fox News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Mostly women arrested in Columbia University library takeover: NYPD
The New York Police Department arrested 61 females after anti-Israel agitators stormed Columbia University's Butler Library on Wednesday as students were studying for finals. In total, the NYPD made 80 arrests – 19 males and 61 females, according to a source. A source also said at least 50 of the 80 protesters arrested were Columbia University students. Protesters renamed the Butler Library "Basel Al-Araj Popular University." Students at the Ivy League institution said protesters climbed on a desk and chanted "Free Palestine," and demanded that the university divest from Israel. At the entrance gate to Columbia University, a security guard said "Nobody comes in, nobody comes out." Claire Shipman, Columbia's acting president, said in a statement on Wednesday that the NYPD was called to help "secure" the building. She added that two university police officers were injured. "Sadly, during the course of this disruption, two of our Columbia Public Safety Officers sustained injuries during a crowd surge when individuals attempted to force their way into the building and into Room 301," Shipman said. "These actions are outrageous." In a separate statement, Shipman said that individuals broke into one of the library's reading rooms. "Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams. Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today. We are resolute that calls for violence or harm have no place at our University," Shipman said. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was also monitoring the incident, noting the agency would work to determine if any participants were non-citizens. "Time to make a point," an ICE source told Fox News.
