2,000+ Arrested in Protests at US Campuses as an Officer Fires Gun

By Al Mayadeen English

A New York police officer fired his gun inside Columbia University's Hamilton Hall on the night of April 30 as officers moved onto pro-Palestine protesters.

Over 2,000 people have been arrested on US university campuses in the past three weeks as they took part in the pro-Palestine protests urging their universities to divest from all investments linked to the Israeli occupation. 

This comes as a New York police officer fired his gun inside Columbia University's Hamilton Hall on the night of April 30 as officers moved onto pro-Palestine protesters. 

The City reported that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office is currently investigating this incident. 

At a press conference today, NYPD Assistant Chief Carlos Valdez claimed that a member of the Emergency Service Unit was trying to access a barricaded area in Hamilton Hall while using a firearm equipped with a flashlight.

Valdez added that the sergeant accidentally discharged the gun and the bullet hit the floor without resulting in any injuries. 

The NYPD said today that it gave the relevant body camera footage to the Manhattan DA's office.

The arrest chronicles 

On May 2, Northwestern and Brown universities were joined by student organizers at Rutgers University in New Jersey and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis in coming into agreements with the administrators to stop encampments amid student demands of divestment. 

However, the night of May 2 still witnessed scenes of police rushing into campuses attempting to stop pro-Palestine protesters in universities.

Oregon 

At Portland State University, the police halted the protest at its Millar Library and arrested at least 29 protesters. 

This did not stop the protesters completely as hours later the police revealed that protesters removed the fence and re-entered leading to more arrests. 

Los Angeles

Authorities revealed that 210 protesters were arrested at the University of California in Los Angeles as police officers in riot gear rushed into the protests to dismantle the encampment on the morning of May 2. 

New York 

Columbia University, the City College of New York, and Fordham University all witnessed dozens of arrests this week. 

According to News 12 Long Island, Stony Brook University also witnessed protests on the afternoon of May 2 in support of Gaza and calling for the dropping of all charges and suspensions against 29 people arrested overnight. 

On May 2, the University of Buffalo revealed in a statement that 16 people were arrested some of whom were not linked to the university. 

It claimed that their arrests were made due to the protesters being "advised of, and failing to comply," with an order to disperse over violations of its picketing and assembling policy. 

New Hampshire

At Dartmouth College, the police revealed that 90 people were arrested claiming that these arrests were "for multiple offenses including criminal trespass and resisting arrest" on early May 2. 

Late on May 1, multiple protesters were also arrested at the University of New Hampshire. 

Wisconsin 

Police arrested 34 people on May 1 in a pro-Palestine protest at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, according to a post published online by the university which claimed that four officers were injured. 

According to The Washington Post, the people arrested also included professors. 

Texas 

On May 1, police arrested 17 pro-Palestine protesters at the University of Texas claiming it was for criminal trespassing as revealed in an email by a college spokesperson. 

Louisiana 

At least 14 people were arrested following police including SWAT teams stopped a pro-Palestine encampment at Tulane University in New Orleans on May 1.