Columbia University has announced that negotiations with student activists regarding the dismantling of a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus have been extended. The decision to prolong the talks came after the university's president set a midnight deadline for reaching an agreement or considering 'alternative options' to clear the encampment.
Following 'important progress' made during the discussions, the negotiations have been extended for an additional 48 hours. The ongoing protests, now in their eighth day, have sparked debates among donors and lawmakers, with some advocating for police intervention to restore order on campus.
Student protesters responded to the administration's ultimatum by releasing a statement at 12:13 am ET, expressing concerns over potential involvement of the National Guard and demanding a written commitment that law enforcement will not be deployed against them. The students referenced a previous incident where the New York Police Department was called to remove protesters, leading to further tensions.
'This threat to our community comes on the seventh day of the encampment, six days after the University called the NYPD to forcefully remove more than one hundred student protesters, and two hundred days after Israel began its genocidal assault on Gaza,' the students' statement read.
