Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday that Columbia University and other private universities should hold their breath and help pay for the NYPD having to swarm Ivy League campuses to crack down on anti-terrorism protests. said.
Late Tuesday, after police were finally called in to dislodge a destructive mob that had illegally occupied Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall campus and clear out an encampment on the school’s iconic lawn, Mr. Hizzoner said the Big Apple’s Told taxpayers about the cost.
When asked if Ivy League schools should open their checkbooks in the wake of the massive operation, the mayor told FOX 5, “I think they should contribute to the cost as well.”
“One way to prevent cost spikes is to have a zero tolerance. As soon as the tent goes up, it goes down. Don’t let it grow any further. That’s what we saw at Columbia University. Yes, it was the same at CUNY.
In dramatic scenes in Columbia, police installed ramps in the school’s historic building after rioters were trapped inside, forcing scores of officers to gain entry through second-story windows.
Meanwhile, on the City University of New York campus in Harlem, police were forced to endure violent scenes as they clashed with unruly protesters.
More than 280 anti-Israel demonstrators were handcuffed at both Columbia University and New York City campuses in a “massive” NYPD operation.
The mayor said subsequent costs, including overtime pay for police officers, are part of ongoing discussions with private agencies, particularly Columbia, in the wake of the protests.
Meanwhile, Professor Hizzoner praised Fordham University’s swift response to the protests after the New York Police Department was called in to clear out a short-lived anti-Israel camp on Wednesday.
“I have to give a lot of credit to Fordham University. I spoke with the president yesterday, and she was very clear that she was not going to let this escalate,” Adams said.
“As you can see, immediate action was taken and it was not a long-term situation like we have seen at other sites.”
Adams’ call for the city’s elite universities to foot the bill came Wednesday after embattled Columbia University President Minoush Shafik ordered police officers to stay on campus until May 17 to prevent future incidents. The request comes after a bipartisan group of Big Apple pollsters expressed outrage that Columbia University should be put in jeopardy. Anxiety before the opening.
“Columbia created this mess, and Columbia, not New Yorkers, should pay to clean it up,” said Queens Republican Joan Arriola and Minority Leader Joe Borelli ( Nine City Council members, led by Bob Holden (R-Staten Island) and Queens Democrat Bob Holden, wrote: A poignant letter addressed to university officials.
“New York City has very serious problems that must be prioritized,” the letter continued, “babysitting spoiled students, activist professors, and professional protesters on Ivy League campuses.” are not included in that,” he added.
They added that if a university wants city-paid police officers to guard its campus, it should contact the NYPD’s paid detail division, which specializes in securing private areas.
“We certainly can afford it,” the lawmakers said, pointing to Columbia University’s annual tuition of more than $68,000 and endowment of $13.6 billion.
