NEW YORK — New York City police entered Columbia University on Tuesday night to clear out a pro-Palestinian encampment and remove students barricading themselves in a university building, leading to dozens of arrests and moving many others off-campus.

Police in riot gear first entered the campus just after 9:00 pm ET after scores of NYPD personnel amassed around the Morningside Heights campus. As police entered the campus they were met by protesters chanting on microphones, "Students, students hold the crowd, NYPD, back down."

At around 9:20 pm ET police fully surrounded the south lawn of the Gaza encampment but found no students present. Shortly after, the NYPD surrounded Hamilton Hall, the college building demonstrators have occupied and barricaded themselves in since early Tuesday morning after refusing an order by college leadership to disperse by a deadline set for 2:00 pm ET on Monday

Dozens of arrests were made starting at around 9:30 p.m. ET, CNN reported, and those arrested were loaded on buses that drove them off campus. Around 9:35 pm ET an unknown number of students who had formed a human picket line outside Hamilton hall were arrested and escorted off the premises as drones were flown around the building. Shortly after, the police entered the building via a window and could be seen searching the premises with torches. By 10:40 pm ET, Hamilton Hall was effectively cleared by the police, and the NYPD announced around 11 pm that the campus has been cleared even as protests continued outside.

Police, upon entering Columbia University, find no one in the south lawn encampment.

Live from Columbia University, Shayeza Walid reports 📹 pic.twitter.com/bm9tAXNJ3w

Columbia University said in a statement at the time that they were “left with no choice” but to call the police after students allegedly blockaded themselves in the building, threatened a facilities employee and forced out public safety personnel. University President Minouche Shafik requested NYPD presence to continue on Columbia’s campus through at least May 17 according to a letter sent to the New York Police Department and seen by Al-Monitor. The graduation celebration at the university is planned for May 15.

Police maintained a massive presence around the university and prevented press, including Al-Monitor, from approaching the school.

A correctional bus is seen leaving Columbia University campus, heading north, @Adam_Lucente reports live 📹 pic.twitter.com/bLBgASdH50

Pro-Palestinian protesters created a Gaza Solidarity Encampment earlier this month, erecting tens of tents and banners on the campus lawn. University President Minouche Shafik has said the students have the right to protest, but that the encampment is disrupting student life and posing safety concerns, including to Jewish students. Weeks of negotiations between the university and the student protesters failed to yield an agreement.

Early Tuesday morning, protesters occupied the university’s administrative building Hamilton Hall. In the afternoon, the university said in a statement that students occupying the hall will face “clear consequences,” including possible expulsion.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.