The New York Police Department arrested more than 100 people Thursday on suspicion of criminal trespass during a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University that began with an encampment a day earlier, according to a law enforcement official.Columbia University President Nemat 맥스카지노�Minouche맥스카지노� Shafik sent a letter Thursday to NYPD requesting they remove people who were occupying the South Lawn of the university맥스카지노�s campus after being told that they 맥스카지노�are in violation of the University맥스카지노�s rules and policies맥스카지노� and are trespassing, according to the letter, which was released by the university.More than 108 arrests were made, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a news conference Thursday evening.The students were 맥스카지노�peacefully protesting for divestment from genocide,맥스카지노� said one of the organizers, Columbia University Apartheid Divest.In Gaza, the Health Ministry announced this week that at least 33,797 Palestinians have been killed in the besieged enclave since the Hamas attack in Israel that killed 1,200 people in October.The protest and arrests at Columbia come as universities across the nation grapple with how to respond to the hundreds of protests and counterprotests held by students on campuses since the war in Gaza began.Here맥스카지노�s what we know about the protest at Columbia and subsequent arrests so far:Why students are protestingThe protests began Wednesday. Pro-Palestinian students, faculty and others set up tents and signs that morning on the campus in upper Manhattan on a day that Shafik, the university president, was in Washington, D.C., to testify to a House committee over the school맥스카지노�s response to antisemitism.The encampment was organized by Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) 맥스카지노� a student-led coalition of more than 100 organizations 맥스카지노� Students for Justice in Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace, to protest what they describe as the university맥스카지노�s 맥스카지노�continued financial investment in corporations that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and military occupation of Palestine,맥스카지노� according to CUAD맥스카지노�s news release.맥스카지노�The Gaza Solidarity Encampment was established to pressure Columbia to divest all funds, including the endowment, from corporations that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and military occupation in Palestine,맥스카지노� the release said.CNN sought comment from Columbia University and the university맥스카지노�s Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing for more information on their investments and for comment on the protest organizers맥스카지노� allegations.Ry, a senior at Columbia who declined to provide his last name to protect his identity, told CNN he had been camping at the campus before arrests began.맥스카지노�We as students are using our privilege to stand for people who have been oppressed for far too long and we hope other universities take the call and do the same,맥스카지노� said Ry, who is a member of Jewish Voice for Peace.Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, was among those arrested Thursday, a police official told CNN. The official said Hirsi is being processed and will likely receive a summons for a criminal trespass charge then be released from custody.Hirsi, an organizer with Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, said earlier Thursday she and two other students at Barnard College 맥스카지노� located across the street from Columbia University 맥스카지노� were suspended for participating in pro-Palestinian protests. University president asked NYPD to remove demonstratorsShafik wrote a letter to the NYPD on Thursday asking for the department맥스카지노�s help to 맥스카지노�remove these individuals,맥스카지노� and said those students occupying the South Lawn of the university맥스카지노�s Morningside Heights campus had been informed of their suspension.맥스카지노�The actions of these individuals are in violation of University rules and policies,맥스카지노� the president told police in the letter. 맥스카지노�The University provided multiple notices and warnings and informed the encampment participants that they must disperse or face immediate discipline.맥스카지노�In an email to students obtained by CNN, Shafik said Thursday that she authorized the move 맥스카지노�out of an abundance of concern for the safety of Columbia맥스카지노�s campus.맥스카지노�맥스카지노�I took this extraordinary step because these are extraordinary circumstances,맥스카지노� Shafik wrote. 맥스카지노�The individuals who established the encampment violated a long list of rules and policies.맥스카지노�Calling the protest a 맥스카지노�disturbance,맥스카지노� Adams said in a news conference Thursday evening that the protesters violated university rules and that 맥스카지노�NYPD officers moved in to ensure the safety of the campus, the students and the staff.맥스카지노� He added that, 맥스카지노�the NYPD assured there was no violence or injuries맥스카지노� during the protest.맥스카지노�The students that were arrested were peaceful, offered no resistance whatsoever and were saying what they wanted to say in a peaceful manner,맥스카지노� added John Chell, NYPD Chief of Patrol.Most of the people taken into custody will be summoned for trespassing, while two people were charged with trespass as well as obstruction of governmental administration, authorities said at the news conference.In the past, the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has declined to prosecute or deferred prosecution cases where large numbers of people were arrested as part of civil disobedience.The arrests came a day after Shafik testified over the university맥스카지노�s response to antisemitism during a House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing. The university faced criticism for its handling of antisemitic incidents on campus and for hiring a professor who allegedly expressed support for Hamas on social media. That professor has been fired, Shafik said Wednesday.In her testimony, Shafik said the core of the university맥스카지노�s mission is to 맥스카지노�ensure that all members of our community may engage in our cherished traditions of free expression and open debate,맥스카지노� quoting from the school맥스카지노�s rules of university conduct.How the protest and arrests unfoldedCompeting pro-Palestine and pro-Israel rallies grew into Wednesday afternoon as more protesters gathered after the hearing. During Wednesday맥스카지노�s protests, Columbia closed the gates to campus, only allowing people with university IDs to enter. Many of the pro-Palestinian protesters affiliated with Columbia camped on the campus overnight.Four people were arrested overnight during the protests, the NYPD said. Police did not specify what charges were filed and gave no additional details about the arrests.The NYPD used bullhorns on Thursday to tell protesters they would be arrested unless they dispersed immediately. Large crowds of Columbia students on the perimeter refused to leave and chanted 맥스카지노�Shame on you!맥스카지노� and 맥스카지노�the students united will never be defeated.맥스카지노�Shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday, a group of at least 200 protesters moved to an area about two blocks away from the school campus near the NYPD staging site and police said they would soon disperse the crowd, CNN witnessed. Officers in helmets, carrying batons, were seen lining up in the street surrounding the group.Online video appears to show NYPD officers arresting pro-Palestinian protesters outside Columbia University early Thursday morning. Detained students were escorted off campus by the NYPD in zip tie handcuffs.The university warned of suspensionIn a Wednesday letter to students, Columbia University officials said participation in the encampment and refusal to leave the campus would result in suspension for students involved.맥스카지노�If you are a Columbia student and you do not adhere to this final request by 9:00 p.m. today, April 17, 2024, the University will take the interim measure of suspending you pending investigation for possible violation of multiple University policies,맥스카지노� the university said in the letter.맥스카지노�During the suspension, you may not go to class or hand in work related to courses and therefore may not be able to complete your current courses. Your CUID will be deactivated, you will not have access to classrooms and other parts of campus and may not participate in University activities.맥스카지노�