NYPD Storms Into Columbia University To Clear Out Anti-Israel Mob

Several hundred NYPD officers descended upon Columbia University’s campus this evening to disperse a group of pro-terror demonstrators who unlawfully seized control of an academic building amid ongoing anti-Israel protests.

The police are anticipated to make arrests of the individuals who forcibly entered Hamilton Hall early Tuesday morning, marking a significant escalation in the protests unfolding at the prestigious Ivy League institution.

Prior to their arrival at the Morningside Heights campus around 9:13 p.m., approximately 100 officers from the NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit assembled on buses and headed towards Columbia in response to the university’s request for assistance.

Meanwhile, dozens of officers donning riot gear and equipped with zip-tie handcuffs congregated on a nearby street corner, awaiting further instructions.

Pedestrian and vehicular traffic along 114th Street and Broadway was blocked by the NYPD, drawing ire from onlookers who admonished the officers with chants of “Shame, shame, shame!”

By 8 p.m., the police were primarily focused on maintaining the perimeter, with Columbia University subsequently issuing a shelter-in-place directive for students due to “heightened activity” on the Morningside campus, warning of disciplinary consequences for non-compliance.

In response to the mobilization of officers, the university’s Chapter of the American Association of University Professors issued a scathing rebuke, accusing Columbia’s administration of neglecting faculty efforts to deescalate the situation.

“We hold University leadership responsible for the disastrous lapses of judgment that have gotten us to this point. The University President, her senior staff, and the Board of Trustees will bear responsibility for any injuries that may occur during any police action on our campus,” the group asserted.

NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban affirmed earlier on Tuesday that the department would intervene if necessary, reiterating their readiness to assist the university upon request, as demonstrated during a prior incident when student protesters established a tent city.

Individuals apprehended within Hamilton Hall would face charges including third-degree burglary, criminal mischief, and trespassing, according to police officials, while those at the South Lawn encampment would be charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct.

Furthermore, NYPD leadership disclosed that the group of masked agitators who forcefully entered Hamilton Hall included “professional outside agitators” unrelated to Columbia or the pro-Palestinian movement.

This group employed escalation tactics observed in previous demonstrations, such as dragging metal barricades into the building, barricading doors with furniture, and causing property damage.

The occupation of Hamilton Hall, renamed “Hind’s Hall” in memory of a 6-year-old Palestinian girl killed in the conflict, followed Columbia University’s ultimatum to suspend students who refused to vacate the encampment established nearly two weeks earlier.

The planting of numerous tents on April 17 by anti-Israel protesters in solidarity with Palestinians sparked a wave of similar actions at prestigious universities across New York City and the nation.

The subsequent arrests of hundreds of students, including the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, on trespassing charges prompted Columbia University to issue suspensions, yet the protests persisted despite attempts to disperse the crowds.

While the administration made repeated efforts to remove the disruptive demonstrators, they struggled to quell the demonstration for several hours, with contingency measures in place in case the situation escalated further, though they were ultimately not required.

{Matzav.com}