Mostly women arrested in Columbia University library takeover: NYPD

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Columbia University anti-Israel agitators storm campus library

Anti-Israel agitators at Columbia University stormed Butler Library and occupied the building on Wednesday night. (Credit: Elisha Baker via Storyful)

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The New York Police Department arrested 61 females after anti-Israel agitators stormed Columbia University’s Butler Library on Wednesday as students were studying for finals. 

In total, the NYPD made 80 arrests – 19 males and 61 females, according to a source. A source also said at least 50 of the 80 protesters arrested were Columbia University students.

Protesters renamed the Butler Library “Basel Al-Araj Popular University.” Students at the Ivy League institution said protesters climbed on a desk and chanted “Free Palestine,” and demanded that the university divest from Israel.

At the entrance gate to Columbia University, a security guard said, “Nobody comes in, nobody comes out.”

DOZENS OF ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS ARRESTED AFTER STORMING, TAKING OVER COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARY DURING FINALS

New York City police arrested dozens of anti-Israel protesters at Columbia University on Wednesday evening after they took over part of a central library on May 7, 2025. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Claire Shipman, Columbia’s acting president, said in a statement on Wednesday that the NYPD was called to help “secure” the building. She added that two university police officers were injured.

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“Sadly, during the course of this disruption, two of our Columbia Public Safety Officers sustained injuries during a crowd surge when individuals attempted to force their way into the building and into Room 301,” Shipman said. “These actions are outrageous.”

COLUMBIA U THREATENS TO ARREST ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS REMOVE ENCAMPMENTS AS NEW DEMOSTRATIONS LOOM

Pro-Hamas slogans are hung inside Butler Library on the campus of Columbia University, where protesters occupied the building, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Sam Nahins)

In a separate statement, Shipman said individuals broke into one of the library’s reading rooms.

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“Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams. Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today. We are resolute that calls for violence or harm have no place at our University,” Shipman said.

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Pro-Hamas protesters walk the perimeter of Columbia University in New York City, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was also monitoring the incident, noting the agency would work to determine if any participants were noncitizens.

“Time to make a point,” an ICE source told Fox News. 

Adam Sabes is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com and on Twitter @asabes10.