New York City police arrested more than 150 pro-Hamas protesters at New York University on Monday night, amid a wave of violent demonstrations occupying university campuses.
Many of the detained anti-Israel demonstrators were students and faculty who had set up camp on the New York University campus. According to the school newspaper, washington square newsthe pop-up campground was formed by the New York University Palestine Solidarity Coalition, which is comprised of more than 20 on-campus groups.
Protesters demanded that the university withdraw from organizations with ties to Israel and shut down its Tel Aviv site. Similar camps have sprung up at many universities across the country, including Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, and the University of Michigan.
Fountain Walker, New York University’s head of campus safety, warned protesters to leave the area by 4 p.m. or “face serious consequences,” according to Washington Square News.
“That requirement was violated when the barricade was breached early this afternoon, and we witnessed disorderly, destructive and hostile conduct that disrupted the safety and security of our community,” Walker told the audience. Told. “If you leave now, no one will face the consequences of today’s actions. There will be no discipline, no police.”
Despite the warnings, demonstrations continued to grow, with off-campus activists arriving to support activists inside the camp.
Around 8:30 p.m. Monday, New York City police officers in riot gear ordered demonstrators to disperse and warned them they would be arrested for trespassing if they refused. Police then began handcuffing the protesters with zip ties. The remaining protesters responded to the arrest by forming a circle around the camp and linking arms.
Video taken by a city reporter showed faculty and students erecting a human barrier between police and the remaining protesters.
Other videos shared on social media showed violent and disorderly protesters throwing chairs and other objects at NYPD officers.
By about 9:30 p.m., all demonstrators had either dispersed or been arrested, according to Washington Square News. Around 3:50 a.m., New York City police began releasing detained students and faculty in groups of two to five, the newspaper said.
“We are witnessing disorderly, destructive, and hostile behavior that disrupts the safety and security of our communities, and how quickly demonstrations can get out of control and people… “We have demonstrated that there is a possibility of injury.”
“We also learned that there were threatening chants and several anti-Semitic incidents were reported,” Beckman continued. “Given the foregoing and the safety concerns posed by this breach, we requested assistance from the NYPD. Police encouraged those in the square to leave peacefully, but ultimately There were many arrests.”
Some of the remaining demonstrators who were not arrested by authorities march toward NYPD headquarters. carry a flare Late Monday evening.
Do you like Blaze News? Avoid censorship and sign up for our newsletter to get articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. Please register here!
