Three students, including Ilhan Omar's daughter, suspended from university

Three Barnard College students, including US lawmaker Ilhan Omar's daughter Isra Hirsi, have been suspended for participation in an ongoing Gaza solidarity protest encampment at Columbia University in New York City.

The suspension of the three students came as the university administrators signalled their intent to dismantle the camp set up by students at the Columbia campus in Harlem. On Thursday afternoon, Columbia University president Minouche Shafik said she had authorised the New York Police Department to begin clearing the camp that had been set up on Wednesday.

Several students told MEE that heavily armed police dressed in riot gear entered the university lawns on Thursday to tear down the 50-plus tents. 

The developments on Thursday followed the revelations that three students - Isra Hirsi, 21, along with Maryam Iqbal, 18, and Soph Dinu, 21 - had received letters earlier in the day informing them they had been suspended, effective immediately, due to refusing to pay heed to calls to end their protest.

To read the full story, click below.

Ilhan Omar's daughter suspended from university over pro-Palestine activism