A group of demonstrators occupied the library at Columbia University on Wednesday night in yet another incident tied to ongoing pro-Palestinian protests that have disrupted campuses nationwide.

The New York Police Department made several arrests as law enforcement responded to the unauthorized takeover.

The latest disruption comes amid a broader federal response under President Donald Trump’s administration.

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Since January 20, the administration has actively revoked student visas belonging to foreign nationals involved in campus protests that have turned violent or unlawful.

The policy remains in effect, and authorities are now focused on the individuals involved in the latest Columbia University incident.

“We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia University’s library. Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X following the library occupation.

We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia University’s library.

Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation.

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 8, 2025

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The Department of Justice has also signaled that it is monitoring the situation closely as investigations proceed.

The incident follows a series of disruptive protests on campus, including the widely reported occupation of Columbia’s Hamilton Hall earlier this year.

That event has now led to legal action from university staff who say they were targeted and mistreated by demonstrators.

According to a federal lawsuit filed Friday in Manhattan, two Columbia University custodians—Mario Torres and Lester Wilson—are suing more than 40 individuals tied to the Hamilton Hall takeover in April 2024.

The suit alleges that the two men were assaulted, held against their will, and subjected to verbal abuse while working their overnight shifts during the building’s occupation.

Court filings state that the masked demonstrators physically battered the custodians and insulted them with slurs, calling them “Jew-lovers” and “Zionists.”

The lawsuit also references evidence of premeditated planning, including hand-drawn maps of the building and protest instructions pulled from a guide titled Palestine Action: The Underground Manual.

The lawsuit seeks damages for physical and emotional harm suffered during the occupation.

The case highlights increasing concerns over the safety of campus workers and the extent to which some protests have escalated beyond peaceful demonstration.

Wednesday night’s library occupation, though shorter in duration, follows a pattern of organized disruptions on the Columbia campus and at other universities around the country.

UPDATE: Palestine protestors are now PLEADING to be let out of the Columbia University which they invaded, as officials BLOCK them from leaving without ID pic.twitter.com/ADfS38XIB6

“Please, please let us out!”

Those who REFUSE to provide ID are being arrested on the spot.… https://t.co/jAuWai15Dd

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 7, 2025

Campus officials have yet to release a detailed statement about the most recent incident, but the university has faced growing criticism from lawmakers and alumni over its handling of student activism that escalates into lawbreaking.

BREAKING: Complete chaos is unfolding outside the gates of Columbia University after hundreds of masked terror supporters began attacking the police.

Bring in the National Guard and arrest every single person involved. Americans have had enough. pic.twitter.com/fS5pDbF84i

— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) May 8, 2025

As the Trump administration continues its visa revocation policy, federal agencies are working with local authorities to determine whether additional arrests or deportations may follow based on the immigration status of those involved.

Wednesday’s actions mark the second major incident in less than six months involving the occupation of university property by pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Columbia.

BREAKING: Masked terror supporters have taken over the Columbia library while students are trying to study for finals.

Columbia proves once again that they prioritize complete chaos over an education. pic.twitter.com/s1jl0P1IkF

— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) May 7, 2025

The administration has reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for foreign nationals engaging in illegal or violent conduct in the United States.

Legal proceedings are expected to continue in the federal lawsuit brought by the Columbia custodians, with further hearings anticipated later this year.

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