Columbia University has extended discussions with anti-Israel student protesters for an additional 48 hours to reach an agreement on the dismantling of their encampment. The deadline of midnight Wednesday passed without a resolution, but riot police were seen mobilizing overnight. The university spokesperson reported that administrators have made significant progress in talks with representatives of the student encampment.
University President Minouche Shafik had initially set the midnight deadline for the protesters to vacate the encampment before considering other options for its removal. However, just after the deadline, the Students for Justice in Palestine, Columbia University Apartheid Divest (SJP) announced that they had suspended talks with the administration until they received a written commitment that the NYPD or National Guard would not be deployed against the students.
Meanwhile, Speaker Mike Johnson is scheduled to hold a press conference at the university on Wednesday following his meeting with Jewish students. This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as they become available.
