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JUST IN: NYPD Begins To Stage Outside Columbia University

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Members of the New York City Police Department appear ready to clear pro-Palestine protesters from Columbia University after the protests devolved into a riot last night.

Footage from FreedomNews.tv shows large numbers of NYPD officers in riot gear staging outside the university campus. A number of officers could be seen carrying zip-tie handcuffs, which is generally an indicator of imminent mass arrests.

Protesters had been ordered to disperse by 2:30 p.m. on Monday, though this did not happen. Instead, the situation escalated dramatically when protesters stormed Hamilton Hall and proceeded to occupy the building. Rioters could be seen smashing out windows and using bike racks to barricade the building, which they renamed to “Hind’s Hall.”

Protesters have since occupied and vandalized a number of additional buildings throughout the campus.

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Columbia University has thus far refused to allow the NYPD to access the campus and has refused to press charges against a number of protesters. According to a report from CNN, officers are still awaiting permission to enter the building from Columbia officials as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

New York Police Department Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry has previously stated that a number of “outside agitators” are attempting to enter encampments and escalate the situation. “What may have started as a group of Columbia students wanting to express their constitutional right to protest has drawn crowds of outside agitators who are trying to hijack a peaceful protest and turn it something far more sinister,” Daughtry wrote in an X post.

Elsewhere in New York City on Tuesday, police clashed with protesters outside additional university encampments. At the City College of New York, protesters could be seen pushing against police while chanting “from the walls to the gate, it is time to escalate.”

At CUNY, the situation appeared to be escalating to a riot as demonstrators could be seen throwing objects at police and attempting to gain access to buildings.