YOU. >> SUCH A DIRE SITUATION, ROBERT. THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT. HERE IN THE CITY, AS CLASSES BEGIN AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, SO DO PROTESTS. >> NOT NECESSARILY UNEXPECTED HERE. PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS CLASHED WITH POLICE AND VANDALIZED PROPERTY. GOOD DAY. BRIELLA TOMASSETTI AT THE CAMPUS IN MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, WHERE OF COURSE, WE HAD ALL THESE DEMONSTRATIONS AT THE END OF THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR. AND WE'RE PICKING IT RIGHT BACK UP AS CLASSES BEGIN THIS SEMESTER. BRIELLA >> YES. GOOD MORNING TO BOTH OF YOU. AND SO FAR, THERE ARE NO PLANNED PROTESTS FOR THIS MORNING. BUT AS WE ALL KNOW BY NOW, THESE TYPE OF EVENTS SOMETIMES HAPPEN ON ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY, THOUGH, PROTESTERS STOOD HERE BEHIND ME URGING STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF MEMBERS, ALL OF THEM, NOT TO CROSS THE PICKET LINE OR TO GO TO CLASS. ACCORDING TO THE NYPD, TWO PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED A 21 YEAR OLD MAN AND A 21 YEAR OLD WOMAN, BOTH OF THEM PROTESTERS AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, MARKED THE BEGINNING OF ITS FALL SEMESTER WITH A NEW WAVE OF PROTESTS, DOZENS OF MASKED PRO-PALESTINIAN DEMONSTRATORS ARMED WITH MEGAPHONES AND SIGNS READING INTIFADA CLASHED WITH POLICE OUTSIDE THE IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL. THE RENEWED DEMONSTRATIONS RESULTED IN A PAIR OF ARRESTS FOR OBSTRUCTING GOVERNMENTAL ADMINISTRATION AND DISORDERLY CONDUCT. >> AS OF NOW, I DON'T THINK THAT'S POSING TOO MUCH OF A PROBLEM. >> IN A SEPARATE INCIDENT, COLUMBIA'S HISTORIC ALMA MATER STATUE WAS VANDALIZED ENTIRELY, SPLATTERED IN RED PAINT. THE ACTIVIST GROUP UNITY OF FIELDS CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY IN A POST ON INSTAGRAM, SAYING, QUOTE, THIS ACTION IS THE FIRST OF MANY. WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL THE UNIVERSITY FULLY DIVESTS FROM ALL FORMS OF SETTLER COLONIAL VIOLENCE GREEN, GREEN, FREE PALESTINE. THE RENEWED DEMONSTRATIONS COME AFTER A SERIES OF VIOLENT PROTESTS ROCKED COLUMBIA AND OTHER CITY CAMPUSES THIS PAST SPRING. AT ONE POINT, POLICE WERE CALLED TO CAMPUS AND BREACHED A BUILDING THAT HAD BEEN OCCUPIED BY PRO-PALESTINIAN DEMONSTRATORS. AND JUST THREE WEEKS AGO, THE PRESIDENT OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, MINOUCHE SHAFIK, RESIGNED, EXPLAINING THAT CAMPUS UNREST WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN HER DECISION. THIS SEMESTER, ONLY THOSE WITH COLUMBIA IDS AND PRE-APPROVED GUESTS WILL BE ALLOWED ON CAMPUS TO KEEP OUTSIDE AGITATORS AWAY. PRIVATE SECURITY GUARDS WILL PATROL THE LAWN THAT PROTESTERS TOOK OVER SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, WITH A MASSIVE ENCAMPMENT. A UNIVERSITY SPOKESPERSON BRIEFLY COMMENTED ON YESTERDAY'S PROTESTS, TELLING THE COLUMBIA DAILY SPECTATOR IN A STATEMENT, QUOTE, THE UNIVERSITY WELCOMED NEW AND RETURNING STUDENTS FOR A PRODUCTIVE FIRST DAY OF CLASSES ON MORNINGSIDE CAMPUS. AS WE BEGIN THE NEW SEMESTER, WE ARE FOCUSED ON OUR MISSION OF TEACHING, CREATING, AND ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE AND ENSURING A SAFE, RESPECTFUL CAMPUS