www.axios.com /2025/05/08/columbia-university-protest-arrests-nypd

NYPD arrests pro-Palestinian demonstrators after Columbia University library protest

Sareen Habeshian 4-5 minutes 5/7/2025

Police push back protesters as they gather outside of Columbia University's Butler Library after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the space on May 07, 2025 in New York City. Crowds of protesters grew as a standoff with security and group calling themselves "Columbia University Apartheid Divest" a

Police push back protesters as they gather outside of Columbia University's Butler Library on May 7 in New York City. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Columbia University called in the police on Wednesday during a pro-Palestinian protest — resulting in multiple arrests, per the NYPD.

The big picture: Demonstrators occupied part of the university's main library, in resemblance to protests last spring that saw Columbia become the epicenter of nationwide campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war.

The latest: Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday night he's "reviewing the visa status" of the Columbia pro-Palestinian protesters.

Driving the news: The NYPD said it responded to the campus at the "direct request" of the university as individuals occupied Columbia's Butler Library and were accused of trespassing.

  • "Multiple individuals who did not comply with verbal warnings by the NYPD to disperse were taken into custody," a department spokesperson said in an emailed statement Wednesday evening. The NYPD did not immediately provide details on the number of people arrested or specifics on what they're accused of.
  • Two Columbia public safety officers sustained injuries, said Claire Shipman, newly appointed acting president of Columbia, in a statement.
  • The university requested NYPD's presence "due to the number of individuals participating in the disruption inside and outside of the building, a large group of people attempting to force their way into Butler Library creating a safety hazard, and what we believe to be the significant presence of individuals not affiliated with the University," Shipman said.

Zoom in: A campus protest movement, Columbia University Apartheid Divest, said on social media that it occupied the library to "show that as long as Columbia funds and profits from imperialist violence, the people will continue to disrupt Columbia's profits and legitimacy."

What they're saying: "Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies," Shipman said.

  • "Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today," she added.
  • New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on X that while the city "will always defend the right to peaceful protest," it "will never tolerate lawlessness."

In photos: Scenes from Wednesday's protest at Columbia

Police push back protesters as they gather outside of Columbia University's Butler Library after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the space on May 07, 2025 in New York City. Crowds of protesters grew as a standoff with security and group calling themselves "Columbia University Apartheid Divest" a
Police push back protesters as they gather outside of Columbia University's Butler Library after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the space on May 7 in New York City. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Protestors gather outside of Columbia University's Butler Library after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the space on May 07, 2025 in New York City. Crowds of protesters grew as a standoff with security and a group calling themselves "Columbia University Apartheid Divest" at the library continued
Protestors gather outside of Columbia University's Butler Library. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 07: A person is detained outside of Columbia University's Butler Library after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the space on May 07, 2025 in New York City. Crowds of protesters grew as a standoff with security and group calling themselves "Columbia University Apartheid Di
A person is detained outside of Butler Library after crowds of protesters grew into a standoff with security. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 07: NYPD officer looks on as protesters gather outside of Columbia University's Butler Library after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the space on May 07, 2025 in New York City. Crowds of protesters grew as a standoff with security and a group calling themselves "Columbia
NYPD officer looks on as protesters gather outside of Butler Library after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the space. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 07: A person is detained outside of Columbia University's Butler Library after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the space on May 07, 2025 in New York City. Crowds of protesters grew as a standoff with security and a group calling themselves "Columbia University Apartheid
A person is detained outside of Columbia University's Butler Library. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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