Credit: Fahima Degia
Fahima Degia, a student at Columbia Journalism School, stood on W. 113 Street and Broadway in the early morning hours of May 1, where press and legal observers were pushed away from covering the arrests of student protesters.
Degia spoke to protesters who were standing outside Hamilton Hall to protect protesters inside by creating a human chain. They said that police were violent, including pushing a protester against a wall, throwing two protesters on the concrete ground, and not administering medical attention when needed.
Sources said that people were maced and that one person fell down the stairs. One source said police tried to separate them and they heard sounds of chainsaws taking apart the barricades.
Listen to an audio snapshot of what it was like at Columbia as police made arrests:
About the author(s)
Fahima Degia is an emerging journalist who covers education for Columbia Radio News.