Anti-Israel protesters involved in an encampment at Columbia University took over an administrative building early Tuesday morning.
Video footage posted to X showed anti-Israel protesters carrying barricades into Hamilton Hall, an academic building on the university’s campus.
They are now bringing in barricades… https://t.co/fM0Xko6CaZ pic.twitter.com/Y5wS1fiMDx
— Angela Van Der Pluym (@anjewla90) April 30, 2024
In its Telegram channel, Within Our Lifetime (WOL) Palestine posted an announcement calling for protection of the anti-Israel encampment on the campus.
“Student organizers have called on everyone to come to Columbia TONIGHT and defend the encampment after administration’s threats this morning,” the group wrote in a post on the channel.
Other videos posted to X showed anti-Israel protesters smashing the glass doors of Hamilton Hall, as people can be heard chanting, “Disclose. Divest. We will not stop, we will not rest.”
#NOW Glass doors into Hamilton Hall inside Columbia were smashed up, protesters stormed in occupying the building, barricading doors with metal gates, blocking entrances with wooden tables and chairs, and zip-tying doors shut.pic.twitter.com/dXxErABRWL
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) April 30, 2024
Anti-Israel protesters who occupied Hamilton Hall were photographed hanging pro-Palestinian posters from the windows of the building.
It is unclear whether or not "hostages" were taken intentionally or if Facilities members were in Hamilton Hall at the time it was occupied. https://t.co/DO5qmv6NmS
— Bwog (@bwog) April 30, 2024
HAMILTON HALL HAS BEEN OCCUPIED @Columbia pic.twitter.com/xPWFdeEOX9
— Jessica Schwalb (@jessicaschwalb7) April 30, 2024
Protesters were videotaped hanging a banner from the windows of the building that read, “Intifada,” as anti-Israel protesters can be heard chanting, “Free, free, free, free, Palestine. From the river to the sea…”
An INTIFADA flag is hung from Hamilton Hall.
— Jessica Schwalb (@jessicaschwalb7) April 30, 2024
What a desecration of this building. pic.twitter.com/edNyuXybFR
The takeover of Hamilton Hall by pro-Palestinian protesters comes after the university announced it was suspending students after previously asking protesters involved in the anti-Israel encampment to leave by 2:00 p.m.
An initial encampment was started on Columbia University’s campus on April 17. The next day several students were suspended, and hundreds of protesters involved in the encampment were arrested.
Columbia University had removed the initial encampment, but since then, it has returned.
Since the start of the encampment at Columbia University, others have been established at the University of California Los Angeles, Yale University, Harvard University, George Washington University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, among others.
Breitbart News reached out to Columbia University for a statement but did not receive a response back by the time of publication.
