Columbia Students Faced Unprecedented Police Crackdown in Final Hours

By Al Mayadeen English

At 8:18 p.m., students at Columbia University received an urgent email from the Emergency Management team instructing them to "shelter in place for safety".

Pro-Palestine student protesters at Columbia University found themselves in a standoff with authorities as their occupation of a campus building entered its 18th hour, Reuters reports.

Despite failed negotiations with administrators, police eventually intervened, arresting dozens and dispersing protest encampments. Witnesses described a scene of tension as students engaged in defiant acts like raising supplies via pulleys and displaying gestures of solidarity from a balcony.

Columbia University implemented a lockdown, allowing only select individuals on campus. Despite this, Sueda Polat, a graduate student and negotiator for the protesters, managed to gain entry and joined demonstrators in their chant of "We shall not be moved."

Negotiations ensued between Polat, her co-negotiator Mahmoud Khalil, and university administrators regarding the protesters' demand for divestment from companies supporting "Israel".

Despite a counteroffer, the negotiations reached an impasse, with Columbia refusing to discuss the fate of protesters occupying Hamilton Hall. Polat and Khalil rejected the deal, anticipating police intervention regardless of their response.

At 8:18 p.m., students at Columbia University received an urgent email from the Emergency Management team instructing them to "shelter in place for safety". Less than an hour later, the campus witnessed a massive influx of police officers, equipped with helmets and armor, marching in what some likened to an "invading army."

Sheila Coronel, a professor at the journalism school, described the scene as she oversaw student journalists, comparing it to protests she had covered in her native Philippines. Amid chants of "Shame on you!" from protesters and bystanders, police advanced, wielding batons and urging everyone to move back from the doors of Hamilton Hall.

In the chaos, Sueda Polat, a key negotiator, briefly spoke to journalists, expressing her belief that Columbia would one day be proud of the protesters. She later disappeared amidst the commotion as police cleared the area, directing most students into a dormitory and threatening arrest for those who attempted to leave.

Police removed barricades and broke bike chains to access Hamilton Hall, where flash-bangs were heard. In the confusion, an officer accidentally discharged a bullet, adding to the tension and fear among students.

Meanwhile, some politicians had called for police intervention to ensure the safety of Jewish students like Jacob Gold, who observed the events from a dormitory window. Although not involved in the protests, Gold expressed feeling endangered for the first time, attributing it to the police presence.

Deputy Police Commissioner Tarik Sheppard filmed a video near the encampment, warning against similar actions in the future. Despite the crackdown, Sueda Polat remained hidden with a friend, capturing footage of her fellow protesters being led away in handcuffs. To her, they remained resolute and principled in their cause.