UCLA, Columbia University pro-Palestine protests spark police riot response [Video]

The takeover by protesters at Columbia came hours after the university said it had begun suspending students who had defied a directive to voluntarily disperse from an encampment that has occupied the main lawn for weeks.

By Tuesday evening (Wednesday AEST), police in riot gear had mobilised around the highly barricaded university and faced off with a growing swell of protesters who had come from across the city to show their support for those inside.

Roads were blocked off, train lines were diverted to pass the college and Columbia’s emergency management operation team issued a “shelter in place” alert urging people to avoid the area.

Then, just before 9.30pm, riot police carrying shields entered Hamilton Hall – a building that was occupied by students throughout the Vietnam War – using a ladder attached to an emergency services vehicle.

Members of the public yelled “Shame on you” as they watched on …