The New York Police Department took 61 women into custody following an incident in which anti-Israel protestors overran Columbia University’s Butler Library on Wednesday. The disturbance occurred while students were preparing for final exams. 

In total, the NYPD executed 80 arrests – comprising 19 men and 61 women, as reported by a source. It was also noted by the source that at least 50 of those taken into custody were students from Columbia University.

Demonstrators temporarily renamed Butler Library as “Basel Al-Araj Popular University.” Witnesses at the prestigious institution observed protestors ascending a desk, chanting “Free Palestine,” and calling for the university to withdraw its investments in Israel.

At the entrance gate to Columbia University, a security guard said, “Nobody comes in, nobody comes out.”

Pro-Hamas slogans are hung inside Butler Library on the campus of Columbia University, where protesters occupied the building, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Sam Nahins)

In a separate statement, Shipman said individuals broke into one of the library’s reading rooms.

“Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams. Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today. We are resolute that calls for violence or harm have no place at our University,” Shipman said.

Pro-Hamas protesters walk the perimeter of Columbia University in New York City, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was also monitoring the incident, noting the agency would work to determine if any participants were noncitizens.

“Time to make a point,” an ICE source told Fox News.