Over 100 arrested, Ilhan Omar's daughter suspended over pro-Palestinian protest at Colombia University

More than hundred students were arrested and the US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s daughter was suspended over the pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University in New York.

The university’s president described the demonstration as an ‘extraordinary step’ that came after multiple warnings. According to him, the attempt to stop protesters was necessary to provide a safe environment on the campus. 

Protests sparked in US campuses since the return of Israel’s atrocities in Gaza in October last year.

Demonstrators constructed 50 camps at the Colombia University on Wednesday, and hundreds of students joined them overnight.

New York Mayor Eric Adams attributed the arrests of students to violation of University rules in which over 100 had allegedly occupied the lawn of the campus over 30 hours.

In a statement to faculty earlier on Thursday, Columbia University president Dr Nemat Shafiq said she had hoped her decision to authorise the New York Police Department to clear the campus would never be necessary.

“The individual who established the camp violated a long list of rules and policies, however, the university sent many notices of these violations,” she said.

As many as 108 protesters have been arrested at the protest site. Trespass was summons in charges of obstruction of government property.

On the other hand, Ihan Omar’s daughter, 21, Isra Hirsi said on X, that she had been suspended from Barnard College for “standing with Palestinians facing a genocide.”

i’m an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP, in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege i have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings

i just received notice that i am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.

— isra hirsi (@israhirsi) April 18, 2024