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April 22, 2024 - Protests at Columbia and other schools escalate

Matt Egan, Alicia Wallace and Chandelis Duster

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology says it is 'determining next steps'

From CNN's Jillian Sykes

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology issued a statement Monday regarding tents on its campus.

"MIT officials are aware of the tents, and are determining next steps with a focus on ensuring campus is physically safe and fully functioning. MIT Police were on scene throughout the night and will continue to be present."

Robert Kraft says he is willing to support The Kraft Center at the university

From CNN's Chandelis Duster

Robert Kraft, billionaire owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots and backer of Columbia University, on Monday said he is still willing to support The Kraft Center at the school that supports Jewish students, calling it “a haven of safety.”

Kraft, an alumnus of the university, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “The Lead” that he loves the school and “we have to have accountability.”

“There are both professors and students within the university who say things that I think cross the line and there should be accountability. I believe in free speech. Say whatever you want but pay the consequences. And don't have your face covered. I don't think that should be allowed,” he said.  

“I can’t believe in New York City at Columbia University Jewish students are afraid to go to classes in the United States of America in 2024. It’s amazing to me and horrible,” Kraft also said.

Asked where he drew the line at Columbia University regarding both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protests and what he finds objectionable, he said “there is a lack of education on the situation” happening in the Middle East. 

“I’m concerned about America and what’s going on in this country. And to keep it open and free for all people of all backgrounds to do as they wish,” he said.

Asked if he has confidence in Columbia University’s president, Minouche Shafik, he said he thinks she is “very well intentioned” and said “we have to look at what goes on with faculty.”

Columbia faculty stage walk-out in solidarity with students

From CNN's John Towfighi

Hundreds of people gathered on Low Plaza Monday afternoon as Columbia University faculty delivered speeches in support of the student protesters who were suspended and arrested Thursday.

Faculty who spoke denounced university president Minouche Shafik’s decision to authorize the New York Police Department to remove protesters from campus and demanded all legal and disciplinary charges be dismissed and expunged from students' records.

Faculty held signs that read, “Hands off our students,” and “End student suspensions now.” Some faculty donned their academic regalia and wore sashes that read, “We support students.”

Speeches were met with cheers and claps from the crowd, as well as chants for Shafik to resign.

Christopher Brown, a professor of history, said, “I’m here because I am so concerned about what is happening at this university, with where we are now and with where we are going. Thursday April 18, 2024, will be remembered as a shameful day in Columbia history.”

“The president’s decision to send riot police to pick up peaceful protesters on our campus was unprecedented, unjustified, disproportionate, divisive and dangerous,” Brown said.

US Rep. Ilhan Omar, whose daughter Isra Hirsi was among the protesters arrested Thursday , posted on X that while she’s glad to see faculty demonstrate in solidarity with students, she wants the protests to focus on Gaza.

"On Thursday, Columbia arrested and suspended its students who were peacefully protesting and have now ignited a nationwide Gaza Solidarity movement. This is more than the students hoped for and I am glad to see this type of solidarity. But to be clear, this about the genocide in Gaza and the attention has to remain on that," Omar wrote.

NYC Mayor condemns "vile" and "disgusting" rhetoric at college campuses

From CNN's Alicia Wallace

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Monday condemned “vile” and “disgusting” rhetoric being used at campuses such as Columbia University, where students are holding protests over the Israel-Hamas War.

Adams told CNN’s Jake Tapper that he supports First Amendment rights but said law enforcement officials are on the ready if any of that speech goes too far or if there’s an imminent threat to people or property.

"That is one of the fundamental rights we hold dear as Americans: The right to protest," Adams said on CNN's "The Lead." "What we have seen playing out on many of our college campuses, and particularly Columbia University, is hate. We’re seeing vile language being used."

Adams noted that he can feel the "duality of this moment" and how the events of the past six months are weighing heavily on Jewish and Palestinian New Yorkers. He added that the police escorts of Jewish students through campus were reminiscent of the Army soldiers who escorted nine Black students into a high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, nearly 67 years ago.

"There is no place for hate in this city," he said.

New York Police Department officers have a “large presence” surrounding Columbia but have remained off the campus grounds at the request of the school’s administration, NYPD deputy commissioners said earlier on Monday.

Adams told Tapper that the NYPD’s commissioner of legal matter is monitoring the protests for any speech that violates law. Additionally, police officers will take "appropriate action" and go on private property if there’s an "imminent threat."

Protesters gather at The New School in New York City

From CNN's Elisabeth Buchwald

Protesters have gathered at The New School, located near the Chelsea area of the New York City borough of Manhattan.

An encampment of four tents was set up in the lobby of the building that houses auditoriums, a cafeteria and a library. Roughly 75 students, and other people who have The New School IDs, gathered inside the building.

"Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not stop, we will not rest," was repeatedly chanted. 

Outside the building, protesters from the school, as well as outsiders, joined in chants from the sidewalk.

There is a stark difference between the inside and outside of Columbia University's campus

From CNN's Ramishah Maruf

There’s a stark difference between the inside of Columbia University's campus and the outside, where there are protesters gathered on the street. 

The encampment is only open to those affiliated with campus. Only those with a Columbia ID can enter the campus gates. Inside the encampment, programs include teach-ins, poetry readings and film screenings. Some students are quietly finishing assignments, while others are painting posters.

Elsewhere around campus, students are eating and completing assignments. Many students take graduation pictures at this time, and some are in graduation gowns walking down Broadway. Risers are set up for an upcoming commencement ceremony.

Other students are holding large American flags underneath Butler Library.

But the students can still hear the tension that is taking place yards away at the university gates. There is a gathering of pro-Palestinian protesters, who in the early afternoon were chanting “I believe that we will win” and “Long Live the Intifada.” There was a smaller group of pro-Israeli protesters, who chanted back “Down with Hamas” and “Victory to Israel.” A line of New York Police officers were monitoring the street.

What it's like inside the Columbia University encampment

The inside of the encampment is quiet – most of the noise comes from protestors outside the gates of Columbia University's campus, who are chanting “I believe that we will win” and “Long live the Intifada."

It was a sunny day on campus, and in one corner, students were painting posters. One person strummed a stringed instrument, and other students are reading books or on their laptops finishing assignments. Others have donated provisions, ranging from a table of snacks to hygiene products. There was also a pile of blankets.

“We’ve just been trying to keep students mobilized and keep pushing for divestment,” Dalia, a first-year student at Columbia College, told CNN. “We are a very mobilized student body and a very unified student body. Hundreds of people have been in and out of the encampment.”

CNN agreed not to publish her surname due to safety concerns.

She said the students at the campus “refuse to be complicit in the genocide, the apartheid, and the occupation of Palestine.”

There are strict community guidelines for the encampment. One rule says not to share names or details of anyone met in camp, and asking for permission before photographing or taking video.

The encampment is filled with dozens and dozens of tents, from students to neighboring Barnard College staff. Today’s encampment program included an Earth Day performance, poetry reading and a Dabka lesson, a traditional dance from the Arab region. Prior program events included dance performances from different cultures.

Democratic House members tour Columbia campus

Democratic Reps. Jared Moskowitz of Florida, Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Dan Goldman of New York and Kathy Manning of North Carolina, who are all Jewish, spoke at a news conference Monday after touring Columbia University’s campus. 

"We saw it firsthand as we walked past the encampments on the university's main lawn full of protesters spewing incendiary antisemitic hate and vitriol. Many aren't even Columbia students I've been told. Their campaign of intimidation is sickening and shocking and as the White House said yesterday, ‘echoes the rhetoric of Hamas terrorists,'" Gottheimer said. 

He also criticized Columbia University leadership, saying, “toothless combinations from administrators aren't going to stop the anarchy we’re seeing.”

“The only way to do it is with deeds, not words,” Gottheimer said. “Colleges have a legal obligation under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to provide students, including Jews and Muslims, a school environment free from discrimination and harassment based on race color or national origin. Yet just feet from here, Jewish students are being verbally and even physically assaulted.”

Gottheimer continued, “To the administrators of Columbia and beyond, here are our demands: Stop the double talk and start acting now. Discipline harassers, restore civility on this campus, encourage peaceful constructive dialogue.”

He also gave a message for students: “While the leadership of Columbia may be failing you, we will not. We will do everything in our power to keep you safe and do everything in Washington we can to make sure that you feel welcome at this university or any university across the United States of America. And Columbia University, if they don't follow through, will pay the price.”

Goldman said he was "encouraged" the Columbia University president issued guidelines about additional security, calling it a "very important first step" and criticized what is happening on campus.

"That is unacceptable for a university, that is unacceptable for an academic institution. There is no question that everyone has a First Amendment right to speak out in this country and that must be preserved," Goldman said. "But a university and all universities have an obligation to maintain the safety and security of their students from all backgrounds."

Manning said university leadership should "do more to keep Jewish students safe and to re-establish an atmosphere in which all students can learn, study and participate safely in campus life."

"Columbia must also move forward with its promised efforts to teach its students and its faculty about the nature and history and dangers of antisemitism. It must ensure that Columbia professors are not encouraging and spreading antisemitism," Manning said.

"I call on the US Department of Education and the US Department of Justice to work with the White House to ensure that all universities take steps necessary to keep Jewish students and faculty safe. I also call on Congress to enact legislation to implement the steps outlined in the US national strategy to counter antisemitism, to address the scourge of antisemitism which is a threat to the foundations of our democracy," she said.

President Joe Biden condemns antisemitism on campus

From CNN's Kevin Liptak

President Joe Biden decried antisemitic protests around college campuses Monday and said his administration was working to combat anti-Jewish hatred.

"I condemn the antisemitic protests, that’s why I’ve set up a program to deal with that," Biden said when questioned about the events at Columbia University in New York.

"I also condemn those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians," he said, without expanding upon what he meant.

Biden was speaking after an Earth Day event in Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, Virginia.

When asked whether Columbia's president should resign, Biden appeared to mishear: "I didn’t know that. I'll have to find out more," he said.

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Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

Mike Johnson Columbia University visit met with boos and heckling from protestors

House Speaker Mike Johnson arrived on the campus of Columbia University on Wednesday armed with a stern message for school administrators and protesters after days of anti-war demonstrations, arrests and campus closures at colleges across the country.

Johnson, R-La., described instances of antisemitism on college campuses, called for the resignation of the university president and warned that students perpetrating violence should be arrested.

His lecture was met with boos from nearby protesters and chants of “We can’t hear you!”

“Enjoy your free speech,” Johnson shot back.

In his remarks on campus, Johnson shamed students and faculty involved in the protests, as well as administrators for not doing enough to prevent them.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

“It's detestable. As Columbia has allowed these lawless agitators and radicals to take over, the virus of antisemitism has spread across other campus,” Johnson told the crowd. “Anti-Israel encampments are popping up in universities all across this country. The madness has to stop.”

Students at Columbia University have pledged to continue protesting in an encampment they set up last week until the university agrees to a complete divestment from Israel. Protesters have demanded divestment from a student-exchange program and the university's campus in Tel Aviv.

More: Ukraine, Israel aid package heads to Biden as Congress caps monthslong struggle

The contentious protests led to the arrest and suspension of more than 100 students from Columbia University and Barnard College last week − including U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar's daughter, Isra Hirsi.

As Johnson finished, he turned things over to Republican Rep. Virgnia Foxx (R-NC), the Chair of the House Committee on Education, who said Columbia University is "in a free fall.”

“As Speaker of the House, I am committing today that the Congress will not be silent as Jewish students are expected to run for their lives and stay home from their classes hiding in fear,” Johnson said. “We have passed a number of statutes to address this matter and we call upon the U.S. Senate to act upon our legislation.” 

Some Columbia University leaders said they were open to negotiating with protesters, but students from a group called Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine said they are not currently interested.

In a statement Tuesday, the group alleged that university negotiators threatened to call the National Guard and NYPD if they "do not acquiesce to their demands."

In a campus update Tuesday, Shafik said the university is working to identify and discipline protesters who violated its policies against discrimination and harassment.

"The right to protest is essential and protected at Columbia, but harassment and discrimination is antithetical to our values and an affront to our commitment to be a community of mutual respect and kindness," Shafik said in the statement.

The protests have fueled an ongoing national debate about Jewish students' safety after a documented rise in antisemitism on college campuses following Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel and Israel's military response .

More: Harvard, Stanford and MIT get an 'F' from ADL on antisemitism report card

"Amid anti-Israel protests, Jewish students at Columbia University don't feel safe," Johnson said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Let's be clear: these are not peaceful protests, these are antisemitic mobs."

According to a spokesperson from the Speaker’s office, Johnson wanted to speak to students at Columbia because he felt New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has not done enough to protect them.

“Hochul and other officials in New York have completely failed in their duty to protect Jewish students and combat the rise of antisemitism in their party,” Athina Lawson said in a statement. “We wish it weren’t necessary.”

House Republicans Anthony D'Esposito (R-NY), Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Nicole Mallotakis (R-NY) joined Johnson and Foxx at the campus Wednesday.

"Together, we're going to send a message that Shafik's failure to secure campus for her Jewish students is unacceptable. She MUST resign," D’Esposito said in a post ahead of their visit.

More: Columbia University president fends off questions that took down her Ivy League peers

Their visit comes two days after House Democrats Dan Goldman (D-NY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Kathy Manning (D-NC), and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) met with administrators and Jewish students on campus Monday.

Rachel Barber is a 2024 election fellow at USA TODAY, focusing on politics and education. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, as @rachelbarber_

Moscow Metro Underground Small-Group Tour - With Reviews & Ratings

Moscow metro underground small-group tour.

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Tour Information

Key Details

• Mobile Voucher Accepted
• Free Cancellation
• Duration: 3 Hrs
• Language: English
• Departure Time : 10:00 AM
• Departure Details : Karl Marks Monument on Revolution Square, metro stop: Square of Revolution
• Return Details : Metro Smolenskaya
• If you cancel at least 4 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
• If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
• Tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.

Go beneath the streets on this tour of the spectacular, mind-bending Moscow Metro! Be awed by architecture and spot the Propaganda , then hear soviet stories from a local in the know. Finish it all up above ground, looking up to Stalins skyscrapers, and get the inside scoop on whats gone on behind those walls.

Know More about this tour

We begin our Moscow tour beneath the city, exploring the underground palace of the Moscow Metro. From the Square of Revolution station, famous for its huge statues of soviet people (an armed soldier, a farmer with a rooster, a warrior, and more), we’ll move onto some of the most significant stations, where impressive mosaics, columns, and chandeliers will boggle your eyes! Moreover, these stations reveal a big part of soviet reality — the walls depict plenty of Propaganda , with party leaders looking down from images on the walls. Your local guide will share personal stories of his/her family from USSR times, giving you insight into Russia’s complicated past and present. Then we’re coming back up to street level, where we’ll take a break and refuel with some Russian fast food: traditional pancakes, called bliny. And then, stomachs satiated, we are ready to move forward! We’ll take the eco-friendly electric trolleybus, with a route along the Moscow Garden Ring. Used mainly by Russian babushkas(grannies) during the day, the trolleybus hits peak hours in the mornings and evenings, when many locals use it going to and from their days. Our first stop will be the Aviator’s House, one of Stalin’s Seven Sisters, followed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — and you’ll hear the legends of what has gone on inside the walls. Throughout your Moscow tour, you’ll learn curious facts from soviet history while seeing how Russia exists now, 25 years after the USSR.

Local English-speaking guide

Pancake snack and drink

Additional food and drinks

Tickets for public transport

Souvenirs and items of a personal nature

Tips and gratuities for the guide

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking

Dress standard: Please wear comfortable shoes for walking. For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people

Traveler Reviews

This tour exceeded our expectations. Nikolai (Nick), our tour guide, was very knowledgeable, thorough, and has a great personality. He didn't take shortcuts and really covered everything that was on the agenda in great detail. We saw beautiful metro stations and learned the history behind them, including many of the murals and designs.

We did the tour with Anna her knowledge and understanding of the History surrounding the metro brought the tour alive. Well done Anna!

This tour was amazing!

Anna was a great tour guide. She gave us heaps of interesting information, was very friendly, and very kindly showed us how to get to our next tour.

Amazing beauty and history.

An excellent tour helped by an absolutely amazing guide. Anna gave a great insight into the history of the metro helped by additional material she had prepared.

great tour and guide - thanks again

great will do it again, Miriam ke was very good as a guide she has lived here all here life so knew every interesting detail.a good day

Deadline for deal to end Columbia protest encampment passes without resolution

The latest on pro-palestinian campus protests.

• There were no signs of police action at Columbia University after the deadline for Pro-Palestinian protesters to reach a deal about clearing out their campus encampment passed without a resolution.
• Administrators said they were talking with student organizers about "dismantling the encampment, dispersing, and following university policies going forward. Those talks are facing a deadline of midnight tonight to reach agreement," President Minouche Shafik said.
• Classes at Columbia's main campus, where more than 100 students were arrested last week following protests over the war in Gaza, will be hybrid until the end of the spring semester.
• Pro-Palestinian encampments have also been established at the University of Michigan, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.
• A demonstration at New York University on Monday night turned chaotic, with the New York Police Department reporting that officers were pelted with bottles after the university called them to assist with dispersing the growing crowd.

Senate passes $26 billion aid for for Israel, Gaza

Sahil Kapur

Frank Thorp V producer and off-air reporter

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed an aid package that includes $26 billion in assistance to Israel and humanitarian relief in Gaza.

The package, approved by a 79-18 vote, also includes aid for Ukraine and Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.

Protesters gathered near Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s Brooklyn home Tuesday, opposed to U.S. military assistance to Israel in the war in Gaza, which has killed thousands of civilians.

The total amount of the package to the three areas is $95 billion, and it includes a provision that could lead to a nationwide  ban on TikTok .

President Biden said he will swiftly sign the package into law.

Read more here

Midnight deadline for Columbia agreement passes

Phil Helsel

David K. Li

The midnight deadline that had been set for negotiations about a Columbia University protest has expired with no announced resolution.

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik said that if an agreement between student organizers and administration staff was not reached, “we will have to consider alternative options for clearing the West Lawn and restoring calm to campus so that students can complete the term and graduate.”

There were no signs visible of any police action.

There has been an encampment and protest at the Manhattan university over the war in Gaza that was set up on the West Lawn around four days ago, the university said.

On Thursday, more than 100 people were arrested and issued summonses after there was an encampment on the South Lawn.

The number of encampments is growing on several college campuses across the U.S. This comes as hundreds of students have stepped out to protest their universities.

Protesters appear to be arrested near Sen. Schumer’s home

New York City police appeared to be arresting demonstrators opposed to the war in Gaza in Sen. Chuck Schumer’s Brooklyn neighborhood tonight, video showed.

An NYPD spokesman did not immediately have reports of how many people were arrested at the demonstration in the Park Slope neighborhood or why arrests were occurring as the situation was ongoing.

The protests, which began earlier by Jewish demonstrators opposed to Israel’s war in Gaza, occurred the same day that Schumer helped pass bills in the Senate to secure military aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.

“Free, free Palestine!” a woman in a shirt reading “Not in Our Name” yelled as she was taken away by police tonight, video from NBC New York showed.

The group Jewish Voice for Peace said thousands converged near Schumer’s residence to send a message about U.S. military aid during a war that has killed more than 30,000 people in Gaza, according to health officials there.

The group called the action “an emergency Passover seder.”

A sign at the demonstration earlier read "Jews say stop arming Israel" and protesters said they opposed the U.S. supplying weapons that are used in a war that is killing civilians in Gaza, video from the Reuters news agency showed.

Columbia gives students midnight deadline for agreement on encampment

The president of Columbia University announced a midnight deadline for students and others to reach an agreement about dismantling an encampment on campus set up in protest.

The encampment was set up four days ago on the Manhattan campus’ West Lawn.

On Thursday, police made more than 100 arrests when they were called in about an encampment on the South Lawn, and for which Columbia was criticized.

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik said in a letter to the community today that the demonstrators at the encampment at the West Lawn have been peaceful.

“However, the encampment raises serious safety concerns, disrupts campus life, and has created a tense and at times hostile environment for many members of our community. It is essential that we move forward with a plan to dismantle it,” Shafik wrote.

University officials and faculty have been in discussions with student groups about dismantling it, she said.

“I very much hope these discussions are successful. If they are not, we will have to consider alternative options for clearing the West Lawn and restoring calm to campus so that students can complete the term and graduate,” Shafik wrote in the letter.

Students in Australia join Gaza movement

Tavleen Tarrant

Students at the University of Sydney in Australia have established a pro-Palestinian encampment, similar to the ones set up at colleges across the United States.

Valerie Castro

As more universities across the nation establish pro-Palestinian encampments and protests, it's crucial to remember that college campuses have a decades-long history of serving as a setting for cultural movements.

Two arrested at Ohio State University during ‘disruptive’ protest, university says

Two people were arrested at Ohio State University in Columbus today in what the school called a disruptive protest at Meiling Hall.

The charges were not immediately available from police.

“When today’s demonstration became disruptive to the students, faculty and staff in Meiling Hall, the university issued multiple warnings,” OSU spokesperson Ben Johnson said. “When the disruptive activity continued, two individuals were arrested.”

The Columbus Dispatch newspaper reported the two arrested were students who were charged with criminal trespass. Protesters chanted “Free Palestine,” according to the newspaper.

Jewish protesters at Columbia support movement, say antisemitism is being weaponized against them

Doha Madani

Three students from Barnard College, Columbia University's sister school, spoke to reporters today in support of pro-Palestinian protesters, saying their own stories of being Jewish anti-Zionists are being ignored.

One Iranian Jewish student, Lea, has been suspended and noted that she and fellow students "proudly put everything we have on the line, because our vision is unclouded." She said she saw the same trauma and pain of her own family reflected in the plight of Palestinians, moving her to join the protest.

"More than 15 Jewish students were arrested, suspended and evicted as punishment for protesting on their own campus," said Lea, a student who identified by first name only. "For singing songs of love and liberation for Columbia's divestment and a free Palestine."

Jewish students led a Passover Seder event at the encampment last night, and students said they held shabbat prayers over the weekend, as well.

Soph Askanase, who was arrested and suspended last week, rejected portrayals of the Jewish community as a monolith. Askanse, who uses they/them pronouns, said they felt unsafe months ago on campus when they were sprayed with chemicals during a Palestinian demonstration, and they were bedridden for days.

"I would encourage everyone to listen to a variety of perspectives and to analyze what it means to not like something or disagree with something versus to actively be in a position of being unsafe, because when you are arrested, dragged out in zipties ... that is what being unsafe is," they said.

Mahmoud Khalil said he is an international student and Palestinian refugee, who fears participating in protests because he could be arrested and eventually deported.

"And this is why a lot of Palestinian students here, they feel very uncomfortable participating and protesting ... that's why we are very grateful for everyone on campus for protesting on our behalf," Khalil said.

Rutgers accused of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian bigotry

Two anti-discrimination groups have filed a federal civil rights complaint against Rutgers University in New Jersey, accusing the school of fostering an environment of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian bigotry.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee filed the complaint on behalf of students who attend the university's New Brunswick campus and Newark law school.

It alleges that students who expressed anti-Zionist views, including Jewish students, were harassed and targeted for doxxing campaigns.

Incidents reported to the administration were not adequately handled, the complaint alleges, leaving Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian students living in anxiety and fear.

A man accused of  vandalizing an Islamic center  at the university last month on the Muslim holiday of Eid-al-Fitr has been charged with a federal hate crime.

Selaedin Maksut, executive director of the New Jersey chapter CAIR, said it was no secret that campuses have become hostile environments for Muslim and Palestinian students.

"University administrations have effectively enabled this climate of hostility and unsafe environment when they repeatedly refused to act and respond with appropriate urgency to Muslim and Palestinian students’ concerns," Maksut said.

Rutgers "abhors all forms of intolerance" and takes takes every claim of bias and hate seriously, the university said in a statement to NBC News.

"Without commenting on the specifics of any inquiry, the university always cooperates with regulators and others who recognize that the safety of our students is our top priority," the statement said.

Number of tents at UC Berkeley doubles overnight

Alicia Victoria Lozano

BERKELEY, Calif. — The number of protest tents at the University of California doubled overnight as dozens of students camped out in solidarity with their pro-Palestinian counterparts at campuses across the country.

“Our movement is big and it’s formidable,” said Leila, a second-year doctoral student who asked that her last name not be used because she is afraid of being doxxed. “Berkeley cannot silence us.”

She said she wasn't concerned about university officials cracking down on the encampment, like some East Coast schools have.

“If they do, we will be here,” she said.

Hundreds of students gathered today to hear lectures on free trade, economics and Middle Eastern history. At nearby Sather Gate, a landmark leading to the center of campus, demonstrators held a sign reading: “UC YOU HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS,” in reference to investments in Israel.

University officials declined to comment on campus security measures and said it has no intention of changing its investments.

“With three weeks left in the semester, Berkeley is prioritizing students’ academic interests," university spokesman Dan Mogulof said in an emailed statement. "We will take the steps necessary to ensure the protest does not disrupt the university’s operations.”

In an exclusive interview with Lester Holt, FBI Director Christopher Wray says the bureau doesn't monitor protests, but it does “share intelligence about specific threats of violence with campuses, with state and local law enforcement.”

Over 100 protesters rally at Washington Square Park

More than 100 pro-Palestinian protestors gathered in Washington Square Park today to show solidarity with students and faculty arrested last night at NYU.

The protesters included NYU students and faculty. Student organizers condemned the arrests and called on the school to divest from its Tel Aviv campus.

“We will not rest until you divest,” the crowd chanted.

Fortress-like barricades imposed at plaza where NYU students were arrested

Gaby Acevedo

The New York University Stern School of Business has turned fortress-like to keep protesters from setting up tents at Gould Plaza.

A wall has been constructed with wooden panels and plastic barriers to keep people from congregating on the plaza, which is just outside the business school building. Students now have to go through enhanced security measures to enter NYU buildings.

Though a significant police presence was preventing demonstrators from gathering this morning, protests continued just a block away.

Hundreds of people joined NYU student groups in Washington Square Park later in the day, where students called for an end to the war in Gaza. Protesters also demanded that the university divest money from Israeli-linked companies and shut down its Tel Aviv campus.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams told reporters today that he believes some of the aggressive incidents seen in recent days were caused by outsiders.

"We should address this while it is just a spark. Let's not wait until they are a blazing fire," Adams said.

He did not provide evidence to support the claim but asked for universities to help identify their students.

Only 120 detained at NYU protest, lower than previous police estimate

The New York Police Department reduced the official number of people detained at last night's New York University protest.

Earlier, police estimated that around 150 were detained, but they clarified Tuesday that it was 120 people. Of those, 116 were issued summonses in relation to trespassing and four people were given desk appearance tickets.

The four people given tickets were accused of resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration, according to the department.

9 University of Minnesota students arrested after starting encampment

A group of University of Minnesota students were arrested this morning, a few hours after setting up an encampment, according to a university statement.

The school's chapter of Students for a Democratic Society announced it was setting up tents on the Northrop Mall area of campus at 4 a.m. It posted a list of demands, including that the university divest from companies "complicit in war crimes and human rights violations."

Campus police arrived at 6 a.m. and an hour later told the students to disperse because they were not allowed to erect tents without a permit and were violating trespassing laws. Some left but nine continued to protest and were arrested, the University of Minnesota said.

"As a public research university, demonstrations where groups express diverse views and opinions occur regularly on our campus," the school said. "We support the rights of all members of our University community to speak and demonstrate peacefully."

'As long as I can, I will be here,' Yale student says amid arrests

Dozens of Yale University students were arrested on trespassing charges while occupying Beinecke Plaza on campus to demand transparency on the private school's financial ties to Israel.

"As a Jew, as a Yale Student, as an American, I feel strongly that I do not want the continued killing to happen in my name and with my money," said student Miriam Levine. "And so as long as I can, I will be here."

Students told NBC affiliate WVIT that they have been demanding that Yale divest for weeks. Their protest moved onto the sidewalk and blocked a public intersection following the plaza arrests.

Seattle-area high schoolers and colleges to walk out in protest

Hundreds of Seattle-area students are planning a walkout today in protest of the Israel-Hamas war, demanding an end to U.S. support of Israel and the Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territories, according to The Seattle Times .

The newspaper reports that there are two dozen high schools and colleges participating in the Puget Sound region. As Passover kicks off, there are fears the walkout could incite antisemitic incidents, Solly Kane, Jewish Federation of Seattle president, told NBC affiliate KING .

“We’re looking for people of good conscience to be our partners and allies in calling out hate and calling out antisemitism,” Kane said.

An organizer of the event told The Seattle Times that they were unaware when they chose April 23 that it would coincide with the Passover holiday.

Columbia President Shafik faces a censure resolution

Brittany Kubicko

Marlene Lenthang

The Columbia University chapter of the American Association of University Professors is planning to submit a “Resolution of Censure” against Columbia's President Minouche Shafik, her administration and the co-chairs of the Board of Trustees to the University Senate.

The resolution was drafted over the weekend after Shafik authorized the NYPD to clear the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” on campus Thursday, resulting in mass arrests .

“President Shafik’s violation of the fundamental requirements of academic freedom and shared governance, and her unprecedented assault on students’ rights, warrants unequivocal and emphatic condemnation,” the resolution said.

It stressed that it is not calling for Shafik’s resignation, rather for a "recommitment" to "strict adherence to the norms of academic freedom, shared governance, freedom of assembly, and due process in all actions involving faculty, students, and staff." 

Columbia AAUP said it hopes to introduce the resolution to the full Senate tomorrow.

150 arrested at Monday night NYU protest

About 150 people were arrested last night during protests at New York University in Manhattan, the NYPD said.

Police added that number is not final.

Protesters pelted officers with bottles at NYU, NYPD says

Officers were pelted with bottles after they tried to clear protesters at New York University on Monday at the school's request, a New York police deputy commissioner said.

"When NYU asked the NYPD to clear Gould Plaza of individuals who were refusing to disperse and were interfering with the safety and security of our community, our officers moved in without delay," Kaz Daughtry wrote in a post on X .

He added: "Unfortunately, as they were dispersing the crowd, some chose violence and pelted the police with bottles. The professionalism and composure our officers showed as they cleared the plaza — despite these dangerous acts of aggression they encountered — are to be commended."

Growing crowds, antisemitic incidents led NYU to call NYPD, school says

What started as a demonstration of 50 protesters in front of the business school quickly devolved, leading NYU to call the New York Police Department for assistance , the school said.

In a statement, NYU spokesperson John Beckman said the university "was deeply disturbed" when more protesters, many of whom school officials believe were not affiliated with NYU, breached the barriers that had been put in place — a violation of directions from campus safety officers and multiple university rules. 

He added: “This development dramatically changed the situation. We witnessed disorderly, disruptive, and antagonizing behavior that has interfered with the safety and security of our community, and that demonstrated how quickly a demonstration can get out of control or people can get hurt. At one point, we explained to the protesters that they needed to disband in an hour, and there would be no adverse consequences."

Beckman said officials also learned that there were intimidating chants and several antisemitic incidents reported.

"Given the foregoing and the safety issues raised by the breach, we asked for assistance from the NYPD. The police urged those on the plaza to leave peacefully, but ultimately made a number of arrests," he said.

NYU will continue to support individuals’ right to freedom of expression, but "the safety of our students and maintaining an equitable learning environment remain paramount," Beckman said.

University of Michigan increases security on campus

At the University of Michigan, where 20 tents were placed on the main quadrangle Monday, the school said it is "working to minimize disruptions to university operations."

While students are able to engage in peaceful protest in many places on campus, "the university has a responsibility to maintain an environment that is conducive to learning and academic success. No one has the right to substantially disrupt university activities or to violate laws or university policies," Colleen Mastony, the university's assistant vice president for public affairs, said in a statement.

She added: "We are working to minimize disruptions to university operations — most especially with classes ending tomorrow and the study period beginning before finals. Safety is always a key priority and, as such, we have increased security on campus. We are carefully monitoring the situation and remain prepared to appropriately address any harassment or threats against any member of our community."

Columbia-Barnard Hillel: 'We are horrified by incidents of antisemitism'

The executive board of Columbia University and Barnard College's Hillel said Monday it was "horrified by incidents of antisemitism and violence" on and outside of campus the past few days.

"We know that many Jewish students, no matter where they stand on Israel, have been deeply upset by recent events on campus. We share in your pain," the organization shared on social media.

“CB Hillel is and will always continue to be a space for all Jewish students, regardless of of political, religious or other affiliation," it added, noting that the Kraft Center, which " houses all aspects of Jewish life" will remain open.

"Both CB Hillel professionals and the student executive board are available and want to support you. We welcome all of our students to reach out for individual chats, join us to celebrate Passover, spend time away from the campus climate if needed, or join one of our many speakers or spaces for dialogue to discuss the ongoing war,” the group said. "We hope that this Passover brings peace to our campus and those suffering round the world." 

Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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During a Chaotic Day, Columbia’s President Fights for Her Job

Nemat Shafik, the university’s leader, met privately with faculty members, who could soon decide to admonish her. Columbia’s board, though, made its support clear.

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By Stephanie Saul ,  Alan Blinder and Liset Cruz

Stephanie Saul and Liset Cruz reported from Columbia University, and Alan Blinder reported from Atlanta.

• April 23, 2024

Nemat Shafik, Columbia University’s besieged president, faced skeptics on Wednesday in a meeting with the university senate that could vote to censure her over her handling of protests on the Upper Manhattan campus.

Dr. Shafik, who last week called in the police officers who made more than 100 arrests while they cleared a student protest encampment, is facing mounting calls for her resignation, including from House Speaker Mike Johnson, who visited Columbia on Wednesday. If Dr. Shafik ultimately remains atop Columbia, her meeting with the university senate made plain that it will likely be as a scarred figure.

Dr. Shafik defended her choice to summon the New York authorities to campus, according to three people who attended the meeting at the law school. But, according to two of those people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private meeting, Dr. Shafik used part of her roughly hourlong appearance to acknowledge that the decision to bring in the police had exacerbated the problems. She said she believed, though, that it was necessary for the safety of protesting students.

The group could vote on a censure as soon as Friday, but some senators were discussing the possibility of pursuing a more moderate course in the aftermath of Wednesday’s meeting.

Although predicting the outcome of a university senate vote is an inexact science — the body includes in excess of 100 faculty members, students, alumni and administrators from a wide range of academic disciplines — a draft censure resolution was unsparing. In it, Dr. Shafik was accused of violating fundamental rules by ignoring a 13-member senate executive committee that had unanimously rejected her request to ask the police onto campus.

By calling in the police anyway, the resolution said, Dr. Shafik had endangered both the welfare and the futures of the arrested students. Dr. Shafik had already angered many at Columbia with her testimony on Capitol Hill on April 17, when she tried to placate Republican lawmakers but provoked outrage on campus, in part for not robustly defending academic freedom.

Carol Garber, a professor of biobehavioral sciences, said Wednesday’s meeting included the voices of many senate members who were “upset and hurt,” with many “unhappy with some of the statements” Dr. Shafik made in Washington.

Protest management is a particularly resonant matter for modern Columbia presidents, professors and students, who have known well how Grayson L. Kirk’s tenure came to a turbulent close after widespread criticism of his handling of demonstrations in 1968.

To some of Dr. Shafik’s critics, her choice last week echoed that strategy and should yield a similar outcome.

So far, the university senate is not expected to call for Dr. Shafik’s removal, with a censure vote meant to signal serious disapproval, not a demand for an ouster. Some senators fear allowing outsiders too great a voice in university affairs. And another draft of the resolution was in the works that stopped short of a censure but was described as more of an expression of disapproval with the administration.

“It really isn’t a precedent any academic institution wants to set,” Dr. Garber said in an interview. “We shouldn’t be bullied by someone in Congress. If something happens on Friday, are we capitulating to an outside force?”

But to many people on campus, Columbia has already done so — whether by allowing protesters, for now, to rebuild their encampment or by turning to the police last week.

And on Wednesday, it was far from settled how long the resurrected protest zone would last, or whether Columbia would again seek arrests.

Not even 12 hours after Columbia’s predawn assertion of progress in its negotiations with the demonstrators, a protest leader all but dismissed some of the university’s claims.

To extend talks, according to the university, the protesters agreed to remove a significant number of the tents erected on the lawn. Columbia also said the protesters had pledged that non-students would leave the encampment, and that they would bar discriminatory or harassing language among the demonstrators.

But on Wednesday morning, an organizer announced to other students at the encampment that they would not be “doing the university’s job of removing people from this camp for them,” insisting that demonstrators would not become “cops to each other." And the organizer declared that the protesters were “committed to staying here and having people stay here.”

University officials did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday about the protest leader’s remarks at the encampment, which some demonstrators said they expected to be free of police activity until at least Friday. But Columbia has set an early Friday deadline for an agreement and left open the possibility of dismantling the camp using “alternative options.”

Protesters and university officials were also at odds over what was said during their urgent talks. A student group, which had been suspended by the university, insisted that administrators had suggested that the National Guard could be deployed to campus, a tactic Mr. Johnson urged after he met with Dr. Shafik on Wednesday.

Protesters say their vigil has been peaceful. And a spokeswoman for Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York noted that the governor said publicly she had no plans to send the Guard onto the campus.

Ben Chang, a spokesman for Columbia, said the claim that the university threatened that the Guard could be deployed was “completely baseless.”

Separately on Wednesday, Columbia’s board defended Dr. Shafik, saying in a statement that it “strongly supports President Shafik as she steers the university through this extraordinarily challenging time.”

The board added, “During the search process for this role, President Shafik told us that she would always take a thoughtful approach to resolving conflict, balancing the disparate voices that make up a vibrant campus like Columbia’s, while taking a firm stance against hatred, harassment and discrimination. That’s exactly what she’s doing now.”

The events at Columbia are at the center of a spate of unrest rocking campuses from California to Connecticut as the end of the semester approaches. Across the country, administrators have struggled to balance principles like open debate with the need to protect Jewish students. Some demonstrations have included hate speech, threats or support for Hamas, the armed group based in Gaza that led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, sparking the war that has left tens of thousands of people dead.

Brown University said it had warned about 90 students Wednesday morning that their new encampment broke university rules and that they faced school discipline. At California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, dozens of protesters occupied a building on the campus, which has been closed since Monday. And on the other end of the state, at the University of Southern California, about 100 protesters set up an encampment, which security officials quickly moved to dismantle.

But many other campuses, even ones that had seen protests earlier in the week, were largely quiet, with students and professors alike preparing for final exams.

At Columbia, the encampment on Wednesday at times seemed far quieter than it had, especially when Dr. Shafik’s first deadline had loomed.

Tents that protesters frantically broke down Tuesday night stood pitched again. A group of Muslim students prayed together, and protesters passed through a canopy to get food from Dunkin’ and Popeyes.

At each entrance to the encampment, demonstrators stood guard. Not far away, Columbia’s preparations for commencement went on.

Anna Betts , Eryn Davis , Lola Fadulu , Annie Karni , Victoria Kim , Santul Nerkar , Katherine Rosman , Karla Marie Sanford , Ed Shanahan and Jonathan Wolfe contributed reporting.

Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article misspelled the given name of the president of Columbia University. Her name is Nemat Shafik, not Nemak Shafik.

How we handle corrections

Stephanie Saul reports on colleges and universities, with a recent focus on the dramatic changes in college admissions and the debate around diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. More about Stephanie Saul

Alan Blinder is a national correspondent for The Times, covering education. More about Alan Blinder

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Boston police arrest 100 as crackdown on campus Palestine protests ramps up

At least 93 students detained at USC and 34 arrested in Austin while House speaker faced jeers at Columbia University

More than 100 people were arrested at Emerson College in Boston early on Thursday in the latest crackdown against the rising wave of campus pro-Palestinian protests across the US that has seen the House speaker, Mike Johnson , suggest calling in the national guard.

Johnson waded into an already tense situation on Wednesday with a visit to Columbia University, where the decision last week of the university president, Minouche Shafik, to invite the NYPD to dismantle a student encampment catalysed what is rapidly becoming a national movement. Johnson nevertheless called for the resignation of Shafik, facing jeers on campus from the pro-Palestinian protesters.

At University of Texas in Austin at least 34 protesters, including a member of the media from a local news station, were arrested overnight, while at 93 more were detained by police dressed in riot gear at the University of Southern California (USC), the Los Angeles Times reported .

In mass arrests at USC , militarized officers were filmed appearing to shoot rubber bullets into a crowd of peaceful demonstrators. While described as “less-lethal weapons”, rubber bullets can cause serious injury or even death . Further north at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, protesters barricaded themselves in a university building using furniture, tents, chains and zip-ties, prompting a campus shutdown.

The arrests in Boston came after Emerson officials ordered student protesters on Wednesday to dismantle their encampment-style demonstration in the city’s Boylston Place Alley, where students had been protesting since Sunday, WBZ-TV reported .

Students say they were peacefully protesting when the mass arrests began around 1.30am on Thursday. One student who spoke to WBZ-TV anonymously said that students were “dragged” and “pushed away … without much regard for [their] safety.” A Boston police spokesperson told WBZ-TV that four officers were injured, all non-life-threatening.

The original encampments at Columbia called for the university to divest from weapons manufacturers with ties to Israel. The protests have led to mass suspensions of students, and the arrests of hundreds .

At Columbia, flanked by a number of Republican members of Congress, Johnson denounced the demonstrations as “mob rule” and condemned what he called a “virus of antisemitism” at colleges nationwide.

“And it’s detestable, as Columbia has allowed these lawless agitators and radicals to take over,” he said. “If this is not contained quickly and if these threats and intimidation are not stopped, there is an appropriate time for the national guard.”

Johnson’s speech drew boos from the crowd, as he also called for the resignation of Shafik, who he accused of failing to protect Jewish students and allowing protests that led to the arrest of dozens of people there last week.

As temperatures rose, Kathy Hochul, the Democratic governor of New York , called Johnson’s trip “divisive”, while the Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez assailed authorities for the “reckless and dangerous act” of calling police to non-violent demonstrations.

Hochul accused Johnson of “politicizing” the issue, and “adding to the division”, according to the New York Post . “There’s a lot more responsibilities and crises to be dealt with in Washington,” she said.

Most of the protests involve pro-Palestinian students, some of them Jewish, demanding their schools cut financial ties to Israel and divest from companies they consider to be enabling the brutal conflict in Gaza.

More than 140 students, faculty members and others were arrested on Monday night at a protest at New York University’s Manhattan campus.

At UC Berkeley, meanwhile, the “Free Palestine Camp” has grown over three days into a sit-in demanding their school sever its financial connections to BlackRock and other asset managers they see as complicit for financing genocide in Gaza . UC Berkeley holds a $427m investment in a BlackRock portfolio.

Some protesters are also calling for an academic boycott, which would end collaborations with Israeli universities and the establishment of a new Palestinian studies program.

Police responding to a demonstration at USC got into a back-and-forth tugging match with protesters over tents. As of 7pm local time more than a dozen people were arrested at the campus, according to a Los Angeles Times reporter on the scene. Video shows officers shoving students.

At Cal Poly Humboldt, a public university on California’s northern coast, the campus has been closed and classes are being held remotely after pro-Palestinian protesters barricaded themselves in a building for a sit-in. Dozens of students remain inside the building and have blocked entrances with furniture, according to the university, while others occupied another nearby building. Students there told the Sacramento Bee they felt compelled to take action.

“I think the solution is to get involved, because at least I can feel like I’m doing my part. Even if it’s not enough, I’m doing the best I can to make something of it. I find peace in that,” one student said.

At UT Austin, hundreds of local and state police – including some on horseback and holding batons – clashed with protesters, pushing them off the campus lawn and at one point sending some tumbling into the street.

A photographer covering the demonstration for Fox 7 Austin was arrested after being caught in a push-and-pull between officers and students, the station confirmed. A longtime Texas journalist was knocked down in the mayhem and could be seen bleeding before police helped him to emergency medical staff who bandaged his head.

Faculty at UT Austin will be striking in response to what they called a “militarized response” to a “peaceful, planned action”, stating on X that they are refusing to hold classes starting on Thursday.

At Columbia, the focal point of national student demonstrations, Shafik said on Wednesday that she had extended by 48 hours a deadline for talks with protest leaders for the dismantling of a tent encampment on Columbia’s west lawn.

Some Jewish students at Columbia said they had been physically blocked by protesters from attending classes, and subjected to racial hatred by demonstrators demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and for the university to divest from companies linked to Israel’s military operations.

Protest organizers blame outside actors for particularly inflammatory rhetoric against Jewish students.

Johnson’s visit to Columbia follows a number of other trips there this week by bipartisan groups of politicians. Three competing delegations attended on Monday, Axios reported , with the entirety of New York’s Republican congressional delegation demanding Shafik’s resignation, and Democrats criticizing her for not protecting Jewish students and faculty.

Joe Biden does not plan to visit Columbia when he visits New York on Friday, the White House and campaign officials told CNN. The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said in a Wednesday statement that Biden believes free speech, debate and nondiscrimination are important on college campuses, adding that “students should feel safe on college campuses”.

The Associated Press contributed reporting

• US universities
• Mike Johnson
• US politics

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