New York, May 2 (RHC)--  Police at Columbia University and City College in New York have arrested 300 demonstrators protesting against Israel’s months-long savagery in the besieged Gaza Strip.

After raiding academic premises on Tuesday night, the NY police in full gear took into custody the protesters as local authorities paint the crackdown on protesters as "a necessity."

Columbia University president Minouche Shafik had called on police to break up a large encampment, asking for “help to clear all individuals from Hamilton Hall and all campus encampments.”

She claimed the occupation of the school building was being led by “individuals who are not affiliated with the University.”   Shafik also asked NY police to remain on campus until at least May 17th in a bid to “ensure encampments are not reestablished.”

The encampment at Columbia University -- the epicenter of student protests -- sparked a wave of similar pro-Palestinian demonstrations at college campuses across the country.

The current pro-Palestinian encampments are the most widespread and prolonged protest to rock U.S. college campuses since protests against the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s.

Nearly 1,000 arrests have been made over the past two weeks across the United States, with video emerging of U.S. police officers tackling protesters, beating demonstrators with batons and firing pepper spray at peaceful student protesters.