Columbia suspends students after deadline to end Gaza camp passes
Al Jazeera
Columbia University has begun suspending student demonstrators after they defied an ultimatum to disperse.
The New York University, the epicentre of pro-Palestinian protests that have upended college campuses across the United States, made the call on Monday.
The move follows almost two weeks of protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, which have swept through higher education institutions from coast to coast, and spread into Europe. The demonstrators have demanded that the universities cease all investment in Israel or companies that are seen as supporting its war effort.
The response of the authorities has been tough, with critics of the protests referring to sporadic instances of anti-Semitism. About 100 protesters were arrested at Columbia on April 18.
In the latest crackdown, authorities at the prestigious university in New York had demanded that the protest encampment be cleared by 2pm (18:00 GMT) or students would face disciplinary action.
