Dozens detained during pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, City College

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, Manhattan (PIX11) – Clashes between protesters and the NYPD at two college campuses in New York City led to around 300 people being taken into custody Tuesday night, according to the NYPD.

Protesters are demonstrating at One Police Plaza on Wednesday morning following the detainments. Some people who were released after being issued summonses joined the protesters outside, sources told PIX11 News.

Hundreds of police officers were called in to clear protesters from Hamilton Hall on the Columbia University campus, entering the building through a second-story window by using a raised Bearcat stairway.

Students on the Morningside Heights campus were told to shelter in place as police cleared out protesters.

Officials pointed to “outside agitators” for tensions escalating at the college campuses during a news conference on Wednesday.

“There were those who came to the city to disrupt our city,” Mayor Eric Adams said. “There is a movement to radicalize young people.”

“Young people are being influenced by those who are professionals at radicalizing our children,” Adams said. “And I’m not going to allow that to happen as the mayor of New York.”

Agitators were caught on video overwhelming Columbia students, according to NYPD Intelligence and Counterterrorism Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner.

“This is two students who are trying to prevent the hall from being broken into being intimidated by some others, as well as some of the external actors that we have been talking about, making a barrier to be dragged into Hamilton Hall,” she said during a news conference. “Here’s an example of two individuals breaking into windows. Again, the black bloc attire is something that we’ve seen in protest activity for quite some time, barricades that are being dragged into Hamilton Hall. Again, people unaffiliated with the school who are assisting in allowing them entry.”

Protesters and police officers were also seen standing off at City College. The NYPD began clearing encampments set up there last Thursday.

City College leadership said it supports peaceful protests, but called police after specific and repeated acts of violence and vandalism. All classes at the school will be held remotely for the time being starting Wednesday, City College announced.

Columbia University has asked the NYPD to maintain an on-campus presence through graduation, which is scheduled for May 15.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

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