College protests live updates: NYPD officer fired gun while clearing protesters at Columbia as 130 arrested at UCLA

The Human Rights Watch, a non-governmental organisation that advocates for human rights, weighed in on the pro-Palestinian protests popping up throughout the nation.

Louis Charbonneau, United Nations Director for the organisation, wrote that faculties should shield college students’ proper to protest.

“There have been troubling studies of antisemitic incidents in and round Columbia College’s campus,” Mr Charbonneau wrote. “Allegations of antisemitic acts and speech by people, in addition to acts of Islamophobia and different types of discrimination, must be investigated and addressed on the deserves in a case-by-case foundation, by truthful and clear processes.”

“As protests unfold to campuses throughout the nation, college administrations must be cautious to not mislabel criticism of Israeli authorities insurance policies or advocacy for Palestinian rights as inherently antisemitic or to misuse college authority to quash peaceable protest,” he continued. “As a substitute, universities ought to safeguard folks’s rights to meeting and free expression.”

The Columbia College Chapter of the American Affiliation of College Professors is asking for a vote of no confidence in President Minouche Shafik and her fellow directors.

In an announcement, the chapter condemned her resolution to name the New York Police Division on protesters who had occupied Hamilton Corridor Tuesday night time.

“This resolution was made with out session with the College Senate, in violation of established procedures, by recourse to so-called emergency powers,” the chapter stated in a Thursday assertion. “It additionally flew within the face of efforts by the AAUP and school trusted by the coed protestors to de-escalate the scenario on campus and to function observers in negotiations–efforts endorsed by the College Senate chair that continued into the afternoon earlier than the assault.”

Greater than 100 folks have been arrested on Columbia’s campus Tuesday night.

A police officer who was concerned in clearing protesters from a Columbia College administration constructing earlier this week fired his gun contained in the corridor, a spokesperson for District Lawyer Alvin Bragg’s workplace confirmed Thursday.

Nobody was injured, in response to spokesperson Doug Cohen, who stated there have been different officers however no college students within the rapid neighborhood. He stated Bragg’s workplace is conducting a assessment.

He didn’t present extra particulars on the incident, which was first reported by information outlet The Metropolis.

The New York Police Division didn’t instantly reply to The Related Press’ request for remark.

The Pulitzer Prize Board, housed underneath Columbia College, praised pupil journalists’ efforts to cowl the protests even whereas dealing with “threat of arrest.”

“As we collect to think about the nation’s best and most brave journalism, the Pulitzer Prize Board wish to acknowledge the tireless efforts of pupil journalists throughout our nation’s school campuses, who’re protecting protests and unrest within the face of nice private and tutorial threat,” the board wrote on Thursday, 4 days forward of saying the 2024 prize winners.

“We’d additionally prefer to acknowledge the extraordinary real-time reporting of pupil journalists at Columbia College, the place the Pulitzer Prizes are housed, because the New York Police Division was known as onto campus on Tuesday night time,” they continued.

As The Impartial’s Alex Woodward reported, pupil journalists labored around the clock to seize the historic demonstrations on school campuses throughout the nation.

Hanover, New Hampshire cops arrested some 90 Gaza demonstrators at Dartmouth School in a single day Wednesday into Thursday.

These arrested included college students and non-students, the police division stated.