The New York City police arrested nearly 300 individuals during pro-Palestine demonstrations at Columbia University and City College, as announced by Mayor Eric Adams. Columbia University sought police intervention to clear protesters from their campus, specifically targeting Hamilton Hall, which had been occupied by demonstrators for nearly two weeks.
Reports indicate that 109 protesters were arrested at Columbia University, while 173 were detained at City College. However, it remains unclear how many of those arrested were students. Columbia University defended its decision to involve the police, stating that the action was in response to the protesters' occupation, vandalism, and blockade of Hamilton Hall.
Mayor Adams condemned acts of hate and violence, attributing the escalation of the situation to individuals adept at radicalizing young people. He emphasized the need to prevent lawful protests from devolving into violent spectacles and acknowledged the global issue of radicalization among youth.
In a separate incident at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), clashes erupted between opposing groups of protesters. Witness footage captured individuals engaging in physical altercations, using sticks and poles to attack makeshift barricades. Police in riot gear intervened to quell the violence and restore order on the campus.
