‘Left With No Choice’: Columbia Releases Statement Claiming Protesters Were ‘Led by Individuals Who Are Not Affiliated With the University’

Columbia University released a statement claiming it had been “left with no choice” on Tuesday evening after New York riot police stormed one of its buildings which had been occupied by pro-Palestine protesters.

“A little after 9 p.m. this evening, the NYPD arrived on campus at the University’s request. This decision was made to restore safety and order to our community,” declared the university in its statement:

We regret that protesters have chosen to escalate the situation through their actions. After the University learned overnight that Hamilton Hall had been occupied, vandalized, and blockaded, we were left with no choice. Columbia public safety personnel were forced out of the building, and a member of our facilities team was threatened. We will not risk the safety of our community or the potential for further escalation.

The leadership team, including the Board of Trustees, met throughout the night and into the early morning, consulting with security experts and law enforcement to determine the best plan to protect our students and the entire Columbia University community. We made the decision, early in the morning, that this was a law enforcement matter, and that the NYPD were best positioned to determine and execute an appropriate response.

The university went on to accuse the protesters who occupied Hamilton Hall of being led by individuals with no ties to the university.

“We believe that the group that broke into and occupied the building is led by individuals who are not affiliated with the University,” the statement claimed. “Sadly, this dangerous decision followed more than a week of what had been productive discussions with representatives of the West Lawn encampment.”

Columbia University had initially resisted calls to end the protests through police force.

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