College protests updates: Police begin dismantling University of Chicago encampment

Police entered the campus encampment early Tuesday, WLS reported.

ByNadine El-Bawab, Bill Hutchinson, and Julia Reinstein
Last Updated: May 7, 2024, 2:01 PM EDT

Protests have broken out at colleges and universities across the country in connection with the war in Gaza.

Many pro-Palestinian protesters are calling for their colleges to divest of funds from Israeli military operations, while some Jewish students on the campuses have called the protests antisemitic and said they are scared for their safety.

The student protests -- some of which have turned into around-the-clock encampments -- have erupted throughout the nation following arrests and student removals at Columbia University in New York City. Students at schools including Yale University, New York University, Harvard University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Southern California and more have launched protests.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
May 03, 2024, 12:32 PM EDT

NYPD sergeant accidentally discharged gun during Columbia building operation

An officer accidentally discharged his gun as the New York Police Department worked to clear Hamilton Hall -- a building that had been occupied by Columbia University students on April 30, Assistant Chief Carlos Valdez, the commanding officer of the NYPD Emergency Service Unit, said Friday.

During the operation, a sergeant unintentionally discharged his firearm while attempting to gain access to an office.

"The sergeant was transitioning his firearm to his non-dominant hand to unlock the office door from the inside when the discharge occurred," Valdez said.

There were no injuries and the bullet was contained within the vacant office. Valdes said that at no point were police officers, members of the public or protesters in danger.

"This was purely unintentional," he said.

May 03, 2024, 11:52 AM EDT

New York University, New School explain decision to remove, arrest students

New York University and New School, in separate statements, said they requested police move students from their campuses after multiple rounds of negotiations failed.

NYU said the "encampment had become increasingly untenable for the NYU community and the neighborhood we inhabit." Classes will proceed as normal today.

People work near police officers, where students and pro-Palestinian supporters were removed after days of encampment, outside of New York University campus, amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, in New York City, May 3, 2024.
Carlos Barria/Reuters

NYU said it is aware of calls for a 4 p.m. protest at the former site of the encampment.

The New School, which switched to remote learning Friday, said students continued to set up in the lobby of the University Center building and block access to the "residence hall, classrooms, library, and cafeteria."

Despite the university "pleading to allow their fellow students to enter their residence hall, the protesters would not budge."

Police officers stand guard outside of The New School after clearing out the student encampment erected in support of Palestinians, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in New York City, May 3, 2024.
David Dee Delgado/Reuters

The New School said the protests continued even after they "provided a confirmed date this month for the Investment Committee to consider a vote on disinvestment."

"It is a sad day for all of us who are part of this university community and who believe in free speech, which we have pledged to protect and will continue to protect," The New School said in a statement.

May 03, 2024, 8:49 AM EDT

56 people arrested at New School, NYU

Fifty-six people have been arrested at The New School and New York University after the schools authorized police to clear encampments, according to the New York Police Department.

Forty-three people were arrested at The New School and 13 people where arrested at NYU, the NYPD said.

-ABC News' Aaron Katersky

May 03, 2024, 6:48 AM EDT

NYU has authorized NYPD to clear encampment

NYU has requested assistance from the NYPD to "disperse the illegal encampment on their property."

"As per their request, we are on site and our officers will be assisting with the unparalleled professionalism embodied by our police officers," NYPD Deputy Commissioner, Operations Kaz Daughtry, said in a statement on social media.