Columbia University arrests demonstrators, the worst conflict since the demonstrations broke out at

Demonstrations in support of Palestine at Columbia University in New York escalated. After the school announced that students who stayed in the campus camp would be suspended, a large number of demonstrators broke into and occupied Columbia University's Hamilton Hall (Hamilton Hall) to display the Palestinian flag. New York riot police entered the campus on the evening of April 30 Forcibly clear the area and arrest demonstrators. The mayor of New York said on Wednesday (May 1) that the police arrested about 300 people during pro-Pakistani demonstrations at Columbia University and the City University of New York, and directed that "foreign agitators" intervened in the protest activities. For the safety of students, the police must act


紐約警察進入哥倫比亞大學校園清場。美聯社


紐約市長亞當斯（Eric Adams）周三早上表示，雖然哥大漢密爾頓大樓內的示威者包括學生，但其實是由「與大學無關的人帶領」。

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Wednesday morning that although the demonstrators at Columbia's Hamilton Building included students, they were actually "led by people who had nothing to do with the university."

警方表示漢密爾頓樓有大約40至50人被捕，無人受傷。亞當斯表示這些被捕者面臨入室盜竊、擅自闖入等罪名，在大樓外被捕的其他人士則會面對較輕指控。
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Police said about 40 to 50 people were arrested at Hamilton House and no one was injured. Adams said those arrested face burglary and trespassing charges, while others arrested outside the building face lesser charges.

哥倫比亞大學校長沙菲克（Minouche Shafik）早上發表聲明，解釋為何召喚警察進入校園。她表示，示威者周二佔領一棟行政大樓，是校園抗議的「劇烈升級」，「將大學推到了邊緣，為所有人製造了一個混亂的環境，並將安全風險提高到無法容忍的程度。」

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik issued a statement in the morning explaining why police were called to the campus. She said the occupation of an administrative building by demonstrators on Tuesday was a "dramatic escalation" of campus protests that "pushed the university to the edge, created a chaotic environment for everyone and raised security risks to intolerable levels."

沙菲克承認哥大有「長久而自豪」學生運動歷史，但她認為那些佔領大樓的人進行了「破壞行為，而非政治言論」。

Shafiq acknowledged that Columbia has a "long and proud" history of student activism, but she believed those who occupied the building were engaging in "vandalism, not political rhetoric."

此前，哥大向示威學生發最後通牒，情況並未緩和，部分人4月30日早上手持武器，帶同家具和金屬路障前往漢密爾頓大樓，在大樓外面組成人鏈。另有示威者在社交媒體Instagram上發帖，呼籲眾人一起保護營地，加入佔領大樓的行列，也有人進入大樓後，在窗戶展示「起義」、「解放巴勒斯坦」等標語。

Previously, Columbia University issued an ultimatum to the protesting students, but the situation did not ease. Some people armed with weapons, furniture and metal barricades went to Hamilton Building on the morning of April 30 and formed a human chain outside the building. Other demonstrators posted on the social media Instagram, calling on everyone to protect the camp and join the ranks of occupying the building. Some people entered the building and displayed slogans such as "Intifada" and "Liberate Palestine" in the windows.


在哥大的學生運動歷史中，漢密爾頓大樓向來具有重要象徵意義，以往多次成為佔領抗議的場所，包括反對越戰、反對種族隔離示威等。而在這次佔領行動中，有示威者於大樓正門懸掛「欣德大樓」的橫額，以此悼念1月死於以軍戰火的6歲巴勒斯坦女童欣德（Hind Rajab）。示威者除了聲援巴勒斯坦之外，也要求校方調整基金投資策略，與在加沙戰爭中獲利的企業割席，同時不再追究參與抗議的學生和教職員。

In the history of Columbia's student movements, Hamilton Building has always had important symbolic significance. It has been the site of many occupation protests in the past, including demonstrations against the Vietnam War and anti-apartheid. During this occupation, demonstrators hung a "Hind Building" banner at the main entrance of the building to commemorate Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old Palestinian girl who died in the Israeli war in January. In addition to supporting Palestine, the demonstrators also demanded that the school adjust its fund investment strategy, cut ties with companies that profited from the Gaza war, and no longer pursue the students and faculty who participated in the protests.


哥大發言人張本恩（Ben Chang）4月30日發表聲明，表示佔領漢密爾頓大樓的學生將被開除，又形容校方已給示威學生機會，要求他們和平放棄紮營並且完成學期，拒絕的人將被停學，不得進入所有學術和康樂場所，4年級學生更將無法畢業。

Columbia University spokesman Ben Chang issued a statement on April 30, stating that students occupying Hamilton Building will be expelled. He also described that the school has given the protesting students the opportunity to peacefully abandon the camp and complete the semester. Those who refuse will be suspended. , are not allowed to enter all academic and recreational venues, and fourth-year students will not be able to graduate.


張本恩批評，示威者讓局勢惡化到已經無法忍受的程度，有人破壞財產、打破門窗、封鎖出入口，因此校方會堅定執行懲罰措施。哥大學生組織「撤回種族隔離」（Apartheid Divest）則批評，部分研究生並未參與佔領漢密爾頓大樓，只是因為示威便被停學，然而與加沙人民每天面臨的困境相比，學生承擔的後果「不算甚麼」。

Zhang Benen criticized that the demonstrators had worsened the situation to an unbearable level. Some people destroyed property, broke doors and windows, and blocked entrances and exits. Therefore, the school will firmly implement punitive measures. The Columbia student organization Apartheid Divest criticized that some graduate students did not participate in the occupation of Hamilton Building and were suspended just because of the demonstration. However, compared with the difficulties faced by the people of Gaza every day, the consequences suffered by the students are "nothing". ”.