Columbia University students protesting the war in Gaza have occupied the institution’s Hamilton Hall building, also the site of anti-Vietnam War demonstrations in 1968, flying a Palestinian flag from the facility as people were warned to stay away from campus on Tuesday.
The development comes after the elite institution began suspending students on Monday after hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters refused to disperse from encampments by a 2pm deadline. Instead, hundreds remained on campus after the deadline passed.
Columbia president Nemat Minouche Shafik said in a statement on Monday that talks between the school and protesters have broken down and that the university has refused to divest from Israel.
Ms Shafik has faced heavy criticism for her decision to allow the New York Police Department to disperse protesters on the campus last week, resulting in numerous arrests and sparking similar protests across the US.
Protests continued at other campuses throughout Monday
Heavily-outfitted riot police arrested scores of students at the University of Texas on Monday afternoon, using zip ties, pepper spray and a stun grenade against the crowd.
Meanwhile, Northwestern University announced it had reached an agreement with students to dismantle their encampment in exchange for concessions.
Campus anti-war protesters dig in from New York to California as universities and police take action