Tensions Erupt at Columbia as Dozens of Pro-Palestinian Protesters Arrested During Library Occupation

Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested at Columbia University after occupying the library, sparking a federal response and reigniting tensions over campus activism.

New York City, NY – Columbia University has once again become the focal point of mounting tensions over the Israel-Gaza conflict, as dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested Wednesday after occupying part of the university’s historic Butler Library. The incident, which turned into a protracted standoff with police, marked the most dramatic escalation since a wave of campus protests last year, now further inflamed under the Trump administration’s strict enforcement measures.

According to Columbia President Claire Shipman, two university security officers were injured when protesters forced their way into the library. The president condemned the incident as “outrageous,” noting that while the protest was contained to one room, it seriously disrupted students preparing for final exams. The university had requested assistance from the New York Police Department (NYPD), which responded by arresting more than 70 protesters. Authorities have not yet announced any formal charges.

Videos circulating on social media showed protesters chanting and waving Palestinian flags as they entered the building, many wearing keffiyehs and face coverings in defiance of a protest mask ban imposed last year. The demonstrators accused the university of “violent repression” and claimed they refused to show ID to police or campus public safety officers.

The NYPD confirmed their presence on campus, stating that the protesters were “trespassing” at the direct request of Columbia’s administration. Officers were seen blocking exits and demanding ID verification before making arrests.

This protest is the first time since April 2024 that Columbia has called NYPD officers onto campus. Then, a group of protesters had occupied Hamilton Hall in a similar demonstration. The university’s repeated need for law enforcement involvement is a sign of growing friction between student activists, university leadership, and federal authorities.

The federal government’s response has been swift and severe. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the visa statuses of the arrested individuals are under review. “Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation,” Rubio said, aligning with former President Trump’s hardline rhetoric against pro-Palestinian campus activism. The administration has aggressively targeted international students involved in such demonstrations, revoking hundreds of visas and threatening deportation.

Trump has also used the protests as a springboard to attack elite universities, accusing them of tolerating antisemitism. Columbia, in particular, has been singled out. The president has already threatened to withhold $400 million in federal funding from the university unless it complies with demands to address campus protests and reform oversight of academic programs.

In March, Columbia bowed to some of these pressures by instituting a ban on face masks during demonstrations and altering administrative control of select academic initiatives. Despite these concessions, federal funds remain frozen, and a lawsuit challenging the decision has been filed by several faculty members.

Claire Shipman, who assumed leadership of the university in March after her predecessor resigned amid the controversy, urged students to avoid the library and emphasized that Columbia would not tolerate hate or violence. Her statement echoed comments from New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who said the city stands against all forms of extremism.

The White House has also expanded its scrutiny to other institutions. At least 60 universities across the U.S. have been warned that federal funding could be cut if alleged antisemitic incidents are not addressed promptly. On Tuesday, the administration took the unprecedented step of terminating $2.2 billion in federal funds to Harvard University after it refused to comply with oversight demands.

Columbia was the epicenter of last year’s U.S. campus protests against the war in Gaza and America’s continued military and diplomatic support for Israel. Wednesday’s arrests suggest that student activism has not waned, but rather adapted, even in the face of sweeping federal crackdowns.

As political and academic leaders navigate these increasingly volatile situations, the battle over free speech, civil disobedience, and U.S. policy in the Middle East continues to reverberate through the nation’s most prestigious universities. The question now is not just whether these protests will stop—but how much universities are willing to risk by allowing them to continue.