On Wednesday afternoon, a group of around 100 anti-genocide student protesters took over the Butler Library’s main reading room and renamed it the “Basel Al-Araj Popular University,” after the Palestinian activist and writer killed by Israeli forces in 2017.

… Columbia University administrators called in the New York Police Department (NYPD) on Wednesday evening to violently suppress and shut down a pro-Palestinian student occupation of the campus’ Butler Library. Approximately 78 protesters were arrested just over a year after the police-state crackdown at Columbia last April, when the NYPD swarmed the campus to arrest over 100 students and break up the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment.”

On Wednesday afternoon, a group of around 100 anti-genocide student protesters took over Butler’s main reading room and renamed it the “Basel Al-Araj Popular University,” after the Palestinian activist and writer killed by Israeli forces in 2017.

The students’ demands include Columbia’s financial divestment from Zionist organizations, an academic boycott of complicit institutions, cops and ICE off campus and amnesty for all university members unfairly targeted and disciplined for pro-Palestinian actions.

Columbia’s Public Safety officers immediately responded and violently barred protesters from leaving unless they showed identification, which created a prolonged standoff…

  • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.auEnglish
    427·
    24 hours ago

    So they took over a building they don’t own, refused to leave, and had a list of demands?

    Yeah, sounds like something the police should be called for.

    Tbh it was hilarious to watch unfold.

    Protesters: “We’re not leaving until we get our demands met!”

    Admin: “come out or we’ll call the police”

    Protesters: “Neverrrrrrrrr!!! Free Palestine!!!”

    Police arrive

    Protesters: “NOOO LET US OUT!!! LET US OUT!!! WE’RE SORRY!!! PLEASE DON’T HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE FOR OUR ACTIONS!!!”

    🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

    • Schmoo@slrpnk.netEnglish
      1·
      51 minutes ago

      So they took over a building they don’t own, refused to leave, and had a list of demands?

      Yeah, sounds like something the police should be called for.

      Would you say the same thing about organized sit-ins in segregated buildings during the civil rights movement? Same set of facts, took over a building they didn’t own, refused to leave, had a list of demands. If not, then clearly you believe that if the status quo is untenable and the demands reasonable then the action is justified.

      This is peaceful civil disobedience in opposition to an ongoing genocide being broken up by the police state.