Isra Hirsi, daughter of United States' Minnesota Democratic representative Ilhan Omar, was one of over 100 protesters apprehended on Thursday at Columbia University’s campus in New York City, as police intervened to disband those who had set up tents for a pro-Palestinian demonstration. Additional protests against the arrests and the university’s decision to involve outside law enforcement persisted throughout the night at the prestigious Ivy League institution.
According to The Guardian, tensions reached a peak on Thursday when the New York Police Department arrived at the heart of the uptown Manhattan campus to dismantle student protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, as directed by the university's president. New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated that police made over 108 arrests without violence or injuries. Police stated that the arrests were for trespassing.
Hundreds of students had erected tents and camped out since early Wednesday morning, demanding a ceasefire and urging the university to divest financially from Israel, The Guardian's report stated.
Nemat Minouche Shafik, the university’s president, who faced scrutiny from Republicans at a House of Representatives committee hearing on antisemitism on campus the day before, stated that she had authorised the police to clear the encampment of dozens of tents set up by protesters on Wednesday morning.
"Out of an abundance of concern for the safety of Columbia’s campus, I authorized the New York Police Department to begin clearing the encampment," Shafik explained in a statement, as quoted by the report.
Shafik asserted that the protesters had violated the school's regulations and policies against holding unauthorised demonstrations and had been unwilling to engage with administrators.
Columbia University announced that it had commenced suspending students who participated in the tent encampment, which was considered an unauthorised protest.
"We are continuing to identify them and will be sending out formal notifications," a university spokesperson conveyed via email, as per The Guardian.
According to the pro-Palestinian advocacy group Institute for Middle East Understanding, at least three students, including Hirsi, Maryam Iqbal, and Soph Dinu, have received suspension notices from Barnard College, an affiliate of Columbia, for participating in the encampment, the report stated.
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Isra Hirsi On Her Suspension And Arrest
Isra Hirsi, Ilhan Omar's Daughter, told Teen Vogue about her state after the eviction saying, "But I was a little bit frantic, like, where am I going to sleep? Where am I gonna go? And also all of my shit is thrown in a random lot. It’s pretty horrible."
"I don't know when I can go home, and I don't know if I ever will be able to. I haven't formally been evicted. I haven't been sent a “move out” email, but they've just said that I can't get in, whatever that means. I have like four shirts, two pairs of pants. Only Barnard students are evicted, and I think it's pretty crazy," she further stated.
About her detainment, she claimed, "I was zip-tied for about seven hours and wasn't released for about eight."
"Those of us in Gaza solidarity encampment will not be intimidated," Hirsi remarked on social media following her suspension.
This clash marks the latest in a series of demonstrations disrupting university campuses, bridges, and airports since the recent escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on October 7, when Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, launched an attack on southern Israel.
Israel's military response in Gaza continues, resulting in the deaths of more than 34,000 Palestinians and leading to famine in parts of the besieged territory.
In addition to protests on US campuses and streets, human rights advocates have highlighted a surge in bias and hate targeting Jews, Arabs, and Muslims.