College protests updates: Police begin dismantling University of Chicago encampment
Police entered the campus encampment early Tuesday, WLS reported.
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:
- Over 300 Harvard professors sign letter urging Harvard to negotiate with protesters
- Police begin dismantling encampment at University of Chicago
- MIT students ordered to leave campus encampment
- More than 60 arrests made at UC San Diego
- Harvard president threatens 'involuntary leave' for students who continue encampment
NYPD officers move on to City College of New York campus
NYPD officers entered the campus of the City College of New York late Tuesday night.
"As requested by the university, we are currently on campus to assist the university in dispersing those trespassing," NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Kaz Daughtry, said in a post on X, sharing video of the police moving in.
In a note to the campus community, university president Vince Boudreau, said protests on campus presented "heightened challenges."
"Most importantly, this is not primarily a CCNY demonstration, and perhaps not primarily a CUNY demonstration. The significant inclusion of un-affiliated external individuals means that we don’t have established connections to them," Boudreau's letter read.
He continued: "Specifically, this demonstration has been more contentious and violent than anything we’ve seen on campus before. Today, we distributed a letter to members of the encampment detailing specific examples of threats to the safety of people within and outside the encampment, so that all of them understand the full scope of the activity. We also want all of them, and those of you reading this note, to understand that in no way does our response to this particular and extraordinary threat overwrite our more fundamental commitments to free speech, academic freedom, or the right to peacefully protest that comply with CCNY and CUNY regulations."
Boudreau said the encamped demonstrators were told to take down their encampment and follow CUNY guidelines for "future activities."
The university president also said classes would be remote on Wednesday due to the situation on campus.
-ABC News' Jolie Lash and Victoria Arancio
Columbia details backstory on Hamilton Hall takeover
In a letter authorizing the NYPD to enter the Columbia University campus and break up the protest, the school detailed the backstory on its recent talks with those in the encampments and the takeover Tuesday night of Hamilton Hall.
According to the letter, from Columbia President Minouche Shafik, an individual "hid in the building" at Hamilton Hall until it was closed and let others in. The group's purpose was "occupying the building," the letter read.
Two security guards were inside the building at the time, and the university said in the letter to the NYPD they were able to "secure their release."
"We believe that while the group who broke into the building includes students, it is led by individuals who are not affiliated with the University," the letter read. "The individuals who have occupied Hamilton Hall have vandalized University property and are trespassing."
Addressing the encampment on the school's Morningside campus, the university told police discussions had been carried out with group representatives, but on Sunday, they "reached an impasse."
At that time, the university says it told the group they did not have permission to "occupy spaces on campus" and were "in violation" of school rules and policies.
On Monday morning, the protesters were told they would be suspended if they didn't disperse by Monday at 2 p.m. ET.
The university said in its Tuesday night NYPD letter that those in the encampment were "suspended" and "not authorized to be on University property and are trespassing."
The university said it believed the actions of those in the protest were escalating. "These activities have become a magnet for protesters outside our gates which creates significant risk to our campus and disrupts the ability of the University to continue normal operations," the letter read.
Columbia's president concluded the letter by asking the NYPD to "help to clear all individuals from Hamilton Hall and all campus encampments."
She further asked police to have a campus presence through May 17 -- graduation is May 15 -- "to maintain order and ensure encampments are not reestablished."
Police moved onto the Columbia University campus a little before 9 p.m. ET and began making arrests.
The NYPD also used a vehicle with an extendable roof ramp to help officers breach Hamilton Hall from an upper floor. From there, the police cleared the building.
The campus encampment and hall were cleared before 11:30 p.m.
-ABC News' Jolie Lash, Aaron Katersky and Joshua Hoyos
NYPD says Hamilton Hall, encampment cleared at Columbia
The NYPD said Tuesday night that Hamilton Hall and the encampment have been cleared.
In a short media briefing, the NYPD said the only thing that remains are the tents at the encampment, which the university will clear.
No injuries have been reported, the NYPD said.
An official also said no tear gas was deployed Tuesday night.
-ABC News' Joshua Hoyos
Nearly 50 arrests so far at Columbia: Police sources
There have been about four dozen arrests so far by the NYPD at Columbia University, according to police sources.
The first bus of protesters apprehended by police just left the campus area.
-ABC News' Aaron Katersky
Campus police deploy 'chemical irritant' at University of Arizona
Campus police officers at the University of Arizona in Tucson shot "chemical irritant" munitions at a gathering of protesters early Wednesday, the department said.
The university's president, Robert C. Robbins, had asked the campus police and school officials to "immediately enforce campus use policies and all corresponding laws," according to a statement from his office.
The Tucson Police Department and other law enforcement agencies also responded to campus, the university said.
Campus officers closed several blocks of Park Avenue as they responded to the "unlawful assembly," the department said.
Video appeared to show police handcuffing individuals on the ground and protesters forming a human chain facing officers.
"Police deploying chemical irritant munitions," the department said amid a series of updates on social media. "Follow orders of police and disperse immediately. Avoid the area of University Blvd & Park Ave."
-ABC News' Amanda Morris and Kevin Shalvey