Pro-Hamas Activists Storm Columbia Library, Then Demanded They Be Allowed to Leave

Here we go again. It’s apparently reading week at Columbia University which means lots of students are preparing for final exams in the quiet campus library. No doubt that’s why a group of Hamas supporters decided to take over the library today. They want to create maximum disruption on campus. Here they are shoving their way inside past the minimal security at the entrance.

RIGHT NOW AT COLUMBIA: Masked anti-Israel students just broke into the library during finals week.

Columbia Public Safety unsuccessfully attempted to stop them. pic.twitter.com/vBfkQFlwUW

— Eden Yadegar (@edenyadegar) May 7, 2025

They quickly ran upstairs and then took over a large library reading room on the 2nd floor.

BREAKING: Protesters are occupying Butler Library @Columbia. pic.twitter.com/rn7yprxqqs

— Shoshana Aufzien🎗️ (@shoshanaaufzien) May 7, 2025

Time to bust out the headscarves and protest signs.

BREAKING: Protesters are occupying Butler Library @Columbia. pic.twitter.com/rn7yprxqqs

— Shoshana Aufzien🎗️ (@shoshanaaufzien) May 7, 2025

They also brought drums and bullhorns.

Reporting live from @Columbia. @ClaireShipman Where is public safety?! Protesters have completely occupied the main reading room of Butler Library. pic.twitter.com/uGoOzBQ5vf

— Shoshana Aufzien🎗️ (@shoshanaaufzien) May 7, 2025

They were chanting “From the river to the sea” in Arabic.

BREAKING: Public Safety officers are standing by. Protesters are chanting “min el-maiyeh lel mayieh, Falastin arabieh” (“from the river to the sea, Palestine will be Arab”). They’re draping banners from the bookshelves, distributing stickers and pamphlets glorifying Oct 7, and… pic.twitter.com/MPeQ6O0gRA

— Shoshana Aufzien🎗️ (@shoshanaaufzien) May 7, 2025

They renamed it, as they always do when the occupy something that doesn’t belong to them.

BREAKING: THE BASEL AL-ARAJ POPULAR UNIVERSITY HAS JUST LAUNCHED, RECLAIMING BUTLER LIBRARY FOR THE PEOPLE pic.twitter.com/FHKRvgJThG

— CU Apartheid Divest (CUAD) (@ColumbiaBDS) May 7, 2025

They say they are rejecting an “imperialist economy of knowledge.”

We reject an imperialist economy of knowledge. We evoke the legacy of liberation and the philosophy of direct action of Basel al-Araj.

OUR DEMANDS: pic.twitter.com/gwKVnowrXu

— CU Apartheid Divest (CUAD) (@ColumbiaBDS) May 7, 2025

They explained themselves here. Charging people for knowledge is imperialist and they believe they can transform the world by transforming language. This really is a fundamental woke belief. But if these folks don’t believe in the concept of the university, why are their parents paying for them to be there? And why hasn’t the school just expelled them?

Why do we insist on a revolutionary vocabulary? What’s the power in a name? It’s because we understand language as the first step in transforming the world. As we re-take and re-name this space, we create our own Popular University. Here, we nurture a new form of education.

— CU Apartheid Divest (CUAD) (@ColumbiaBDS) May 7, 2025

They are giving the school plenty of reason to do so. Some vandalism of the library.

PROTESTERS ARE VANDALIZING SHELVES OF BUTLER LIBRARY @Columbia

This is anti-academic, anti-free speech, and totally destructive. pic.twitter.com/QxkFGro4fR

— Elisha (Lishi) Baker (@LishiBaker) May 7, 2025

More vandalism:

Spirits remain high in the liberated zone despite the imminent NYPD SRG raid pic.twitter.com/CJjNLuBfdq

— CU Apartheid Divest (CUAD) (@ColumbiaBDS) May 7, 2025

Just look at these cosplay dorks.

Protesters fighting with Public Safety officers at doors as they take over Columbia’s Butler Library pic.twitter.com/ZHBNFaP6gy

— Columbia Jewish & Israeli Students ✡️🇮🇱 (@CUJewsIsraelis) May 7, 2025

And that’s when things took a turn the activists weren’t expecting. Public Safety informed everyone that they would have to provide an ID to leave the room. Anyone who couldn’t show a valid school ID or who refused to leave would be arrested.

BREAKING: Public Safety says they’ll arrest any protesters who refuse to exit and present ID. They should have done that the second the protest started. pic.twitter.com/3RwXc6chXP

— Shoshana Aufzien🎗️ (@shoshanaaufzien) May 7, 2025

This led to a shoving match as the people who had stormed their way in now attempted to storm their way out (without showing ID).

Protesters attempting to stampede public safety to avoid being identified as they leave pic.twitter.com/4yiYXbvGk2

— Columbia Jewish & Israeli Students ✡️🇮🇱 (@CUJewsIsraelis) May 7, 2025

Meanwhile, there was still a large crowd of activists outside the library. At some point they realized their comrades upstairs were not being allowed to leave and decided they would storm inside and rescue them (or something). That led to a prolonged shoving match as protesters outside tried to force their way in.

BREAKING 🚨: Protesters are assaulting and trying to trample Public Safety officers outside of Butler Library @Columbia. I’m terrified. pic.twitter.com/Y5kdHfDhmh

— Shoshana Aufzien🎗️ (@shoshanaaufzien) May 7, 2025

Here’s the same thing from the other side of the door. I only wish one of the security guards had shouted “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!”

The pro Hamas protestors at Columbia engaged in reckless and dangerous behavior today, almost causing a stampede and injuring one of their own. Their conduct is extremely concerning. Masks must be banned and consequences pursued.

pic.twitter.com/gIHjXzKzQr

— David lederer (@Davidlederer6) May 7, 2025

Having failed to get what they wanted through force, the mob then called for “faculty mediation.”

Reporting live from Butler Library @Columbia: The lynch mob is now requesting “faculty mediation.” Unbelievable. Where is the NYPD?!!! pic.twitter.com/3hBkFU8Ow5

— Shoshana Aufzien🎗️ (@shoshanaaufzien) May 7, 2025

Some professor was ushered forward before scurrying away moments later.

JUST NOW: protesters @Columbia asked for “faculty mediators to deescalate” – a ridiculous ask given that they are the escalators…

Nevertheless, Prof. Joe Howley, a known supporter of this movement, showed up and tried to enter the library. Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/ySp3sNzP6z

— Elisha (Lishi) Baker (@LishiBaker) May 7, 2025

Outside the group was busy cursing at campus security for setting up barricades.

BREAKING: The mob outside is BLOCKING @Columbia public safety, yelling “fuck you” and “shut the fuck up” at the officers pic.twitter.com/FPkoGbzBAE

— Elisha (Lishi) Baker (@LishiBaker) May 7, 2025

And, predictably, one of the masked activists inside pulled a fire alarm, obviously in an attempt to get the everyone out of the building without any consequences.

BREAKING: Someone just pulled the fire alarm in Butler Library @Columbia. pic.twitter.com/51qVsDaO4o

— Shoshana Aufzien🎗️ (@shoshanaaufzien) May 7, 2025

But it looks like security didn’t go for it. 

BREAKING: The fire alarm at Butler Library has been pulled — a clear tactic to let Columbia’s student radicals exit without consequence after their illegal occupation.

I would love to hear the internal monologues of Columbia’s public safety team right now. pic.twitter.com/MuZ13iW8tk

— Stu (@thestustustudio) May 7, 2025

The people outside are now acting like they can’t leave without the people inside. One of the Jewish students reminded the mob that their are actual hostages still being held in Gaza for more than a year now. This guys is braver than the entire mob combined.

Columbia Pro Hamas Protestor – “we’ve been trying to leave for over an hour!”, acting as if they’re being held hostage.

I had to remind them that there are real hostages in Gaza who have been trying to leave for over 500 days!!!

Listen to their response. The media will later… pic.twitter.com/YEBlWE9EoR

— David lederer (@Davidlederer6) May 7, 2025

CUAD says the activists inside the library will not show ID. So I don’t know where this goes from here. Maybe it’s time to bring in the NYPD and just arrest them all for trespassing. I’ll add an update later if anything changes but for now it’s a standoff.

UPDATE: A MESSAGE FROM STUDENT ACTIONISTS INSIDE ❤️‍🔥 pic.twitter.com/e18EPwluGY

— CU Apartheid Divest (CUAD) (@ColumbiaBDS) May 7, 2025