Eric Adams
New York City Mayor Eric Adams praised the NYPD for their swift action in dispersing anti-American and anti-Israel groups at two prominent college campuses, resulting in the arrest of numerous troublemakers. He condemned the “despicable” academic setting that nurtured such groups.
Bravery
Mayor Adams highlighted a specific event where NYPD officers removed a Palestinian flag raised in lieu of the American flag, commending the officers for their bravery and mentioning his late uncle who sacrificed his life in defense of American principles.
Despicable
“My uncle died defending this country, and these men and women put their lives on the line — and it’s despicable that schools will allow another country’s flag to fly in our country,” Adams, a former NYPD captain, told reporters. “So blame me for being proud to be an American, and, I think, Commissioner Daughtry for putting that flag back up. We’re not surrendering our way of life to anyone.”
Hamilton Hall
Leaders of New York City’s law enforcement provided an update on Wednesday morning following their operation at Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall, where they removed a gathering of anti-Israel activists who had taken over the building as part of their continuous protests. Adams cautioned about a worldwide effort to radicalize youth, orchestrated by individuals who are not university-affiliated but have managed to recruit students to instigate disorder.
Radicalizing
“There is a movement to radicalize young people, and I’m not going to wait until it’s done and all of a sudden acknowledge the existence of it,” he told reporters Wednesday morning. “This is a global problem that young are being influenced by those who are professionals and radicalizing our children. And I’m not going to allow that to happen. As the mayor of the city of New York.”
Administrators failed
After school administrators failed to enforce deadlines for dismantling the campus encampment over the previous two weeks, police took action to clear the building. Columbia University officials eventually warned the group of expulsion when students forcibly entered Hamilton Hall and occupied the premises.
Barricading buildings
“There’s nothing peaceful about barricading buildings, destroying property or dismantling security cameras,” Adams said. His comments followed the university officials’ decision to seek police assistance as the campus protests became more chaotic and disorderly.
Bold actions
“This may be the most memorable moment in a mayoralty that has thus far not been very memorable,” according to Paul Mauro, a former NYPD inspector, who suggested that the bold actions taken by city leaders could be a strategy to mitigate the repercussions for students engaged in the turmoil.
Prestigious institutions
“I want to see the numbers. They’re not all outside agitators. New York looked good the way it was handled by the NYPD…now though I see the meme developing that these are just kids led astray and that’s gonna be an excuse for them to go soft on these kids. These are not children – these are adults who are in one of the most prestigious institutions in the country and are our future leaders.”
300 individuals
Approximately 300 individuals were taken into custody at Columbia University and City College during the night.
Expulsion
“Students occupying the building face expulsion,” school spokesman Ben Chang declared in bold letters in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
Masked protesters
The direct caution was issued approximately 12 hours after images surfaced of a group of masked protesters wearing keffiyahs forcibly entering the building, securing the doors, and seizing control of it.
Violate
“The work of the University cannot be endlessly interrupted by protesters who violate the rules,” Chang said.
Consequences
“Continuing to do so will be met with clear consequences. Protesters have chosen to escalate to an untenable situation – vandalizing property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances – and we are following through with the consequences we outlined yesterday.”
Repercussions
In front of the seized building, a coalition of activists stood united, calling on the university to comply with their demands to disinvest from Israel-linked businesses and assure no repercussions for participating students.
Anti-Semitic acts
Critics have strongly denounced these contentious encampments, appearing at Columbia and various prominent university grounds, as anti-Semitic acts endangering the well-being of Jewish peers.
Suspensions
The institution confirmed the initiation of suspensions, stating that affected seniors will face delays in their graduation.
Threatening
“This is about responding to the actions of the protesters, not their cause,” Chang said. “As we said yesterday, disruptions on campus have created a threatening environment for many of our Jewish students and faculty and a noisy distraction that interferes with teaching, learning, and preparing for final exams, and contributes to a hostile environment in violation of Title VI.”
Lockdown
Earlier on Tuesday, university officials implemented a lockdown following the breach of Hamilton Hall. The NYPD later disclosed video evidence showing the presence of “professional” protesters instigating the students.
Peaceful
Advocates of Students for Justice in Palestine, a group orchestrating nationwide anti-Israel demonstrations, maintain that their protests are peaceful. Nevertheless, Jewish students at Columbia and other locations have reported to Fox News Digital that they are experiencing harassment, discrimination, and physical threats.
Anti-Israel slogans
One student, identified only as Josh for safety reasons, shared with Fox News Digital that he could hear protesters chanting anti-Israel slogans and drumming late into the night. “The scariest thing I want to emphasize is that we’ve had no idea who has been in these camps,” he said. “I’ve watched, while walking home at night, people climbing over the fence, smuggling stuff in through side doors.”
Zionists
He mentioned that he noticed individuals who looked like a student he thought had been suspended due to the protests. He shared a cellphone recording from the weekend depicting anti-Israel activists confronting two Jewish students, labeling them as “Zionists,” and encircling them because of their Star of David necklaces.
Refused
Several individuals claiming to represent the Columbia encampment refused to communicate with Fox News Digital.
Beaten up
“I’ve had a friend who was beaten up,” said Itai Driefuss, a third-year Columbia undergrad and Israeli military veteran from Tel Aviv. “It’s scary. It’s violent.” In a sudden assault on October 7, 2023, Hamas carried out an attack resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis and the kidnapping of more than 200 individuals. Israel’s military retaliation is ongoing and has resulted in the deaths of thousands.
Fart spray
Recently, a Columbia student who is a former Israeli military member filed a lawsuit against the university, alleging severe repercussions for using “fart spray” on anti-Israel protesters while ignoring their anti-Semitic remarks.