Tensions at Columbia University reignited on Wednesday when dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters entered the main library and staged a sit-in, disrupting student preparations for final exams. The demonstrators, many wearing masks and kaffiyehs, moved into the second floor of Butler Library shortly after 3 p.m., hanging banners and chanting slogans. They renamed the space “the Basel Al-Araj Popular University.”
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The group behind the action, Columbia University Apartheid Divest, said in a statement that the occupation aimed to challenge the university’s financial ties to what they call “imperialist violence.” The protest is seen as a continuation of last spring’s unrest, which included the occupation of Hamilton Hall and a subsequent police response.
This latest demonstration comes amid increased federal scrutiny. The Trump administration has accused Columbia of failing to protect Jewish students from harassment during past protests. As a result, the administration has cut over $400 million in research funding to the university. Officials have also been pressuring Columbia to prevent further disruptions, especially those perceived as anti-Israel.
Videos posted on social media showed protesters carrying backpacks and pushing past a library security guard before heading upstairs. Columbia’s public safety officers eventually blocked exits, preventing some demonstrators from leaving.