Two days after the arrests of protesters on Columbia University's campus, a small group returned, gathering in front of a checkpoint on Amsterdam Avenue.

Meanwhile, as some students prepare to move out of their dorms for summer break, the NYPD maintains a visible presence both on and around the campus.

“Campus is pretty empty, it looks a lot like COVID times,” said Federico De Lima, senior at Columbia. De Lima describes an eerie feeling as only students who live on campus are able to access it. He says many of the libraries and cafeterias are closed.

“A lot of things have been canceled, for example I had my senior design presentation today canceled, they’re doing exams online,” said De Lima.

In an official announcement, Columbia University said Hamilton Hall remains an active crime scene under NYPD investigation following the protests. President Joe Biden weighed in from the White House.

“It needs to be done without violence, without destruction, without hate and within the law,” said Biden

The president's remarks come amid escalating tensions on college campuses nationwide, with several arrests reported at Fordham University Wednesday night.

The Legal Aid Society released a statement condemning the NYPD for not issuing appearance tickets to protesters charged with low level offenses and for failing to arraign detainees within 24 hours.

Journalism student Iryna Humenyuk recalls witnessing NYPD buses filled with students the night of the arrest. She and her classmates have been closely covering protests for the past two weeks on the campus. Humenyuk says many of the student protesters see the parallels between the recent standoff and the school's 1968 protest against the Vietnam War.

“They’re still posting in social chats and it’s clear they don’t want to give up their fight for a freer Palestine,” said Humenyuk.

The NYPD has not released the official numbers on how many protesters arrested Tuesday night were students from the University. Columbia University says at this time, they cannot say the number of expulsions or suspensions but say disciplinary processes are underway.