Dozens of Columbia University students are occupying Hamilton Hall, as reported in a social media post published by Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine. CNN reports it. Overnight, protesters made their way from the West Lawn encampment to Hamilton Hall, a major academic building occupied during the 1968 student protests. The university had previously announced that it had begun suspending students who they refused to leave the camp by the administration’s deadline of 2pm local time on Monday.
At least 200 Columbia University protesters have set up barricades at the entrance to Hamilton Hall and about a dozen are inside the campus building. CNN reports this, adding that a student reported that there are no police forces near the occupied classroom. Hamilton Hall is one of the university’s main buildings and houses the provost’s office. Aerial footage from Freedom News TV overnight showed several dozen people crowded on the steps, several people could be seen inside the building and a Palestinian flag was flying outside a window. The building is a symbol for the university. In 1968, students occupied it to protest the war in Vietnam. In the 1980s it was again occupied by students demonstrating for the disinvestment movement from Apartheid in South Africa.
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