Protesters who established a camp at Columbia University in New York City to oppose Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza faced intervention from the New York Police Department when the university permitted law enforcement on campus.
This move sparked criticism from Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and sparked an online dispute between the lawmaker and the police.
“Good SAT scores and self-entitlement do not supersede the law,” NYPD Chief John Chell wrote in a tweet early Thursday morning. “Columbia decided to hold its students accountable to the laws of the school,” he added. “I am sure you would agree that we have to teach them these valuable life skills.”
This statement followed Ocasio-Cortez’s complaint on Wednesday regarding Columbia’s “horrific decision to mobilize NYPD on their own students.” The students are demonstrating against Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which have led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians.
The New York Police Department replied to AOC on Thursday, commending the university for overseeing its students to be “accountable” for “the consequences of their actions.”
“I am sure you agree any hateful speech is unacceptable. You should rethink your comments to a simple thank you to the NYPD and hate has no place in our society,” he wrote, adding: “Lack of accountability = consequences.”
“Everyone has a Constitutional right to protest, it’s one of the pillars our great democracy is built on. But kids also have a right to go to school without being harassed, threatened, intimidated or assaulted,” Daughtry wrote.
He continued: “Secondly, I was with those ‘units’ last Thursday that you describe as having, ‘the most violent reputations.’ These ‘units’ removed students with great care and professionalism, not a single incident was reported.” And, “The only incidents that day on campus were the student’s hateful anti-Semitic speech and vile language towards our cops.”
“Hate from anyone, anywhere has no place in our city and country,” Chell concluded. NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry also commented on the protests, highlighting the impact they are having on other students at the university.
The deputy commissioner added: “There is nothing ‘horrific’ about protecting the safety of Columbia’s young students who are just trying to go to school. We’ve said it time and time again, the NYPD will always protect and defend your right to protest but just because you hold a sign while you’re threatening, harassing, intimidating and assaulting people doesn’t give you a free pass from criminal conduct.”
“Being anti-Semitic and spewing hate to kids will never ever be tolerated in our city. Our officers are the best and most highly trained law enforcement professionals in the world. Everyday, they have to endure insults, threats, and hate speech merely because the uniform they wear as they try to keep the peace and protect everyone’s rights,” his tweet continued.
The deputy commissioner of the NYPD also suggested that Ocasio-Cortez visit Columbia University and take a walk through the campus to witness the protest firsthand. “I promise our officers will, like always, do their job, and protect you like they have protected everyone on campus regardless of what your political beliefs are. We’ll also take a report if you feel threatened,” he concluded.
Ocasio-Cortez, who has openly endorsed the “peaceful” protests, voiced disapproval on Wednesday of the university’s choice to request law enforcement assistance in maintaining order on campus.
“Not only did Columbia make the horrific decision to mobilize NYPD on their own students, but the units called in have some of the most violent reputations on the force,” she tweeted. “NYPD had promised the city they wouldn’t deploy SRG [Strategic Response Group] to [the] protests.”
Despite over 100 student arrests, Columbia University has been in ongoing discussions with students to dismantle the encampment.
“Columbia decided to hold its students accountable to the laws of the school. They are seeing the consequences of their actions. Something these kids were most likely never taught,” Chell wrote Thursday.
