Shafik's statement highlighted that the demonstration, referred to as the "Liberated Zone," was in direct violation of the university's new policies. She emphasized that the protest was causing significant disruption to campus life and creating an intimidating and hostile environment for many students. She stressed that the decision to involve law enforcement was not taken lightly.
"I found myself in a position this morning where I had to make a decision I had hoped would never be necessary," Shafik stated. She further elaborated, "I have always maintained that the safety of our community is my top priority and that we must ensure a conducive environment for learning. Given the escalating concerns for the safety of Columbia’s campus, I authorized the NYPD to commence the removal of the encampment from the South Lawn of Morningside campus, which was established by students in the early hours of Wednesday morning."
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In her communication to the NYPD, Shafik outlined the various ways in which the students were flouting rules and policies. She noted that they were obstructing the university's operations, refusing to identify themselves, declining to disperse, setting up tents on campus, failing to comply with policies, and damaging campus property. She described their actions as posing a "clear and present danger to the substantial functioning of the University."
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Shafik further explained, "I took this extraordinary step because these are extraordinary circumstances." She revealed that the university had issued multiple notices of these violations to the students, including a written warning on Wednesday at 7:15 pm, informing students that those remaining in the encampment past 9:00 pm would face suspension pending investigation. The university also attempted to address their concerns through various channels and offered to continue discussions if they agreed to disperse.
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Shafik expressed regret that all these attempts to resolve the situation were rejected by the students involved. "As a result, NYPD officers are now on campus, and the process of clearing the encampment is underway," she stated.
In her concluding remarks, Shafik acknowledged the difficulty of the situation and expressed deep regret for the measures taken. She urged the Columbia community to show compassion and uphold the values of empathy and respect that bind them together.
By Thursday afternoon, footage captured by Oliya Scootercaster of Freedomnews.tv showed several students being escorted off campus and into NYPD buses by officers.
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