Protesters supporting Palestine take over building at Columbia University | Global News

Pro-Palestinian activists at Columbia University escalated their battle with administrators by occupying a building on campus early Tuesday morning. The activists, who have been protesting against Israel’s war on Gaza, entered Hamilton Hall and hung a banner reading “Hind’s Hall” from an upper floor. They blocked the doors with outdoor tables and formed a barricade outside.

The protesters shouted, “This building is liberated in honour of Hind, a six-year-old Palestinian child murdered in Gaza by the Israeli occupation forces funded by Columbia University.” The activists accused Israel of targeting civilians in its conflict with Hamas militants in Gaza.

Minutes after the occupation began, New York City police officers arrived outside the school gates in unmarked cars. The school later restricted access to the campus to only students residing in residential buildings and essential employees.

The crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists at Columbia comes amid similar protests at universities across the U.S. Police at the University of Texas at Austin arrested dozens of students at a pro-Palestinian rally, while at Cal Poly Humboldt University, police detained protesters occupying a school building.

The ongoing protests highlight the deep divisions and tensions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict, with students and activists taking a stand against what they see as unjust actions by Israel. The situation remains tense as authorities grapple with how to handle the escalating protests on college campuses.