Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Columbia University - Newstrends
Connect with us

International

Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Columbia University

Published

on

Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Columbia University

New York police have arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters after they occupied part of the main library at Columbia University on Wednesday.

Two university security officers were injured when protesters forced their way into Butler Library on Wednesday, according to a statement from University President Claire Shipman, who called their actions “outrageous”.

Video posted on social media showed chanting protesters entering the library, many wearing keffiyeh headscarves and masks, defying a ban imposed by the Trump administration.

Mrs Shipman said she asked the NYPD for assistance, and added that many of the protesters were not students.

More than 70 protesters were arrested by the police, Columbia Spectator, a campus newspaper, reported.

“At the direct request of Columbia University, the NYPD is responding to an ongoing situation on campus where individuals have occupied a library and are trespassing,” the NYPD posted on X.

Videos of the protests showed protesters vandalising bookshelves by writing “free Palestine”.

Another clip showed public safety officers blocking the library door’s exit and asking those inside to show their Columbia IDs or face arrest, which led to an hours- long standoff.

READ ALSO:

Columbia’s president said that while the protest was isolated to one room in the library, “it is completely unacceptable that some individuals are choosing to disrupt academic activities as our students are studying and preparing for final exams”.

Mrs Shipman, who took over the role in March after the previous president resigned, asked students to stay away from the library.

“We will not tolerate hate or violence in any form in our city,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a post on X.

In a post on social media, the protestors accused the university of “violent repression” and said that they had refused to show their IDs to police and campus public safety officers.

It marks the first time that Columbia University has called the NYPD for an on-campus protest since April 2024, when pro-Palestinian protesters occupied Hamilton Hall for nearly 24 hours.

Columbia has drawn ire from US President Donald Trump, who claims many universities have tolerated antisemitism and harassment of Jewish students.

Trump has already threatened to withhold some $400m (£309m) in federal funding for Columbia, as his administration continues to target those involved in previous campus protests with deportation.

In March, Columbia agreed to several demands from the Trump administration, including a ban on face masks at protests and a change in oversight of some academic programmes, after the administration said it planned to withhold millions in federal funds.

It is unclear whether the funds will be reinstated, though a lawsuit was filed by some of the faculty members over the cuts.

The New York college was the epicentre of pro-Palestinian protests against the war in Gaza and US support for Israel on college campuses last year.

On Tuesday, Trump also terminated $2.2 billion in taxpayer funds to Harvard University after ordering a review of its federal financing.

The Trump administration has warned 60 universities that funding may be cancelled if allegations of antisemitism on campuses are not addressed.

Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Columbia University

Loading

International

Trump Tells Supporters to ‘Cheat Like Hell’ Ahead of US Election

Published

on

Trump Tells Supporters to ‘Cheat Like Hell’ Ahead of US Election

US President Donald Trump has made an unusual appeal to his supporters ahead of the November 3 election, telling them to turn out with their families and friends while declaring that he would “cheat like hell.”

Trump made the comments during a Republican gathering in Dallas, Texas, where he led attendees through a mock pledge intended to encourage them to support him and participate in the election.

After asking the crowd to raise their right hands and repeat after him, Trump urged his supporters to help bring their relatives and friends to the polls.

READ ALSO:

He then made the controversial remark while discussing voter registration, saying he was unconcerned about whether he was registered and accusing his political opponents of being bigger “cheaters.”

Trump went on to encourage supporters to vote either on November 3 or before election day, ending the pledge with an appeal to God.

The president also joked that supporters who failed to vote could face divine punishment, telling the crowd they would “go to hell” if they did not turn out.

The remarks came as Trump sought to energise Republican voters ahead of the election, in which control of Congress is also at stake.

His comments are likely to attract attention because of the language he used during an event aimed at mobilising voters, particularly his reference to cheating and his claims about the conduct of his opponents.

 

Trump Tells Supporters to ‘Cheat Like Hell’ Ahead of US Election

Loading

Continue Reading

International

France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

Published

on

France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

At least 44 people were injured after a passenger train carrying 186 people derailed in northwestern France on Friday evening, with an 18-year-old woman among those injured and reported to be in critical condition.

The Rouen-Caen regional train derailed at about 7:45 p.m. local time near Cléon, in the Seine-Maritime department of Normandy, while travelling between the cities of Rouen and Caen.

The incident triggered a major emergency response, with authorities deploying about 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 emergency vehicles to the scene.

A mass-casualty emergency plan was activated to coordinate the rescue operation and treatment of those injured.

According to Rouen prosecutor Sébastien Gallois, 44 passengers were injured in the France train derailment, including the 18-year-old woman who was airlifted to Rouen University Hospital in critical condition.

The other 43 injured passengers were treated for less serious injuries.

The initial estimate of the number of injured passengers was lower, but the figure was revised to 44 after emergency teams completed their assessment of passengers at the scene.

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the train was travelling between Rouen and Caen when the accident occurred.

A passenger identified as 24-year-old Louis described the moments before the train accident in France as frightening.

He said the train first experienced several jolts before the movement became increasingly violent.

“Suddenly there were a few jolts, and then after about three seconds it got stronger and stronger,” he told ICI Normandie radio.

READ ALSO:

“I couldn’t stay in my seat any more. The windows partially shattered; the stones from the track came into the carriage. It was really shocking. I’m still shaking,” he said.

A police source said the train may have struck an unidentified object shortly before it derailed. However, authorities have not established whether the object was responsible for the accident.

The cause of the Cléon train derailment therefore remains under investigation.

The Rouen prosecutor said drug and alcohol tests conducted on the train driver were negative.

Police and railway investigators have begun examining the train, the railway infrastructure and the circumstances surrounding the derailment to determine what caused the accident.

The railway operator, SNCF Réseau, suspended traffic on the affected line and switched off electricity to the tracks to allow emergency workers to operate safely.

“The priority is to care for the passengers and then to restore safe operating conditions,” SNCF Réseau said.

The disruption affected rail services along the Rouen-Caen route, while other services connecting Caen with Le Havre were also affected.

Rail authorities worked to arrange alternative transport for passengers whose journeys were disrupted while emergency and investigative operations continued at the accident scene.

Passengers who were not seriously injured were moved away from the crash site as emergency teams attended to those requiring medical attention.

The prefecture urged members of the public to stay away from the affected area to allow rescue workers and investigators to carry out their duties.

The accident caused significant disruption to rail services across the region, with authorities prioritising the safety of passengers and the restoration of the affected railway line.

The investigation is expected to establish whether the train’s contact with the unidentified object, a problem with the railway infrastructure or another factor contributed to the derailment.

As of the latest reports, there were no fatalities recorded in the accident, while the 18-year-old woman remained in critical condition and the other injured passengers were receiving medical attention.

Authorities said investigations into the France train accident were continuing.

France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

Loading

Continue Reading

International

Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland

Published

on

Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland

A holiday trip in Switzerland has ended in tragedy after a coach carrying 45 Dutch adults overturned in the eastern part of the country, killing five people and injuring the remaining passengers.

The crash occurred on Thursday afternoon on the road linking Susch and Zernez in the Graubünden region. Police said the vehicle went off the roadway while passing through an area where construction work was taking place before overturning.

Three of those injured are in serious condition, while another 37 people sustained less severe injuries. The driver, who is also Dutch, survived the crash but was among those taken for medical treatment.

READ ALSO:

Authorities have begun investigating the incident and are working to establish what caused the coach to leave the road.

Tour operator Oad said the company was devastated by the deaths and described the incident as a deeply shocking tragedy.

The crash took place close to Zernez, a popular gateway to Switzerland’s National Park, a large Alpine nature reserve in the Engadine valley.

 

Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland

Loading

Continue Reading

Trending