Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 Police Move In On Columbia University Protesters
The New York Police Department was called in to clear protesters on the campus of Columbia University last night. Around 9 pm, campus authorities authorized the NYPD to go onto campus “to restore safety and order to our community.” The initial focus for officers was the occupied Hamilton Hall, and officers said they found a heavily fortified building when they entered. Around 50 protesters were arrested and taken away by bus. NYPD officials said the protesters in Hamilton Hall will be charged with burglary in the third degree, criminal mischief, and trespassing. After securing the building, officers moved on to the tent encampments on campus, and later in the evening police reported that the only thing remaining at the site of the protesters’ encampment was empty tents they said the university would clear away. Columbia University says it’s asked the NYPD to “retain a presence on campus through at least May 17th.”
2 Judge Holds Trump In Comtempt For Violating Gag Order, Threatens Jail Time
Acting on requests from the prosecution, Judge Juan Merchan ruled yesterday that former President Donald Trump would be held in criminal contempt because of a series of Truth Social posts that Merchan said violated the gag order he has in place against Trump. The judge fined the former president $1,000 for each of nine violations and then said he would impose “an incarceratory punishment” if Trump violates the gag order again. The gag order prohibits Trump from “making or directing others to make public statements about known or reasonably foreseeable witnesses concerning their potential participation in the investigation or this criminal proceeding.”
3 AG Merrick Garland Submits Proposal To Reschedule Marijuana At Federal Level
The Biden administration made a historic move yesterday afternoon. Attorney General Merrick Garland submitted a rescheduling proposal to the White House Office of Management and Budget to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I substance to Schedule III. Schedule I includes drugs like heroin, meth, and LSD, while Schedule III includes lesser things like steroids, testosterone, and Tylenol with codeine. Once it’s approved, the rescheduling will allow marijuana to be researched for medical purposes and open the door for pharmaceutical companies to get involved with the sale and distribution of medical marijuana in states where it's legal. The change would not affect recreational use of marijuana.