The Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a coalition of over 100 student groups at Columbia University, is currently engaged in negotiations with the administration. The group, which views Palestine as a key player in the fight for collective liberation, has demanded a written commitment from the administration to refrain from deploying the NYPD or the National Guard against students.
On Tuesday night, CUAD issued a statement indicating that no agreement would be reached until their conditions were met. As the night progressed, reports emerged of an escalated police presence on campus. NYPD riot officers and members of the counterterrorism team were observed near the West Lawn encampment and the university gates.
Student reporters from radio station WKCR noted the presence of strategic command officers in riot gear, including protective shields. Despite the heightened police presence, no altercations were reported following the passing of a midnight deadline set by President Minouche Shafik for reaching an agreement with the student organizers.
Although the deadline expired without a resolution, reports suggest that a new deadline of 8 a.m. has been established for protesters to vacate the encampment. Police have cautioned individuals within the camp to minimize the use of amplified noise makers and refrain from beating against barricades to avoid potential arrests.
Speculation arose on social media regarding the potential mobilization of the New York National Guard to support the NYPD in dispersing the anti-Israel protesters. Governor Kathy Hochul, however, stated on Monday that she currently has no plans to deploy troops to the university protests.
