Student Protests Escalate: NYC Mayor Claims Outsiders Behind Arrests

Tensions have surged across American universities as student protests over Israel’s actions in NYC Gaza continue unabated, despite significant arrests and clashes. In New York City, the NYPD reported around 282 arrests at Columbia University and the City College of New York during a crackdown coinciding with the clearance of Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall, occupied by students since April 30.

Hamilton Hall, once a symbol of activism during South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle, was renamed “Hind’s Hall” after six-year-old Hind Rajab, tragically killed with her family by Israeli forces in Gaza.

Mayor Eric Adams of New York City has asserted that many of the protesters were “outside agitators” with no ties to the university, accusing them of being influenced by professionals adept at radicalizing youth. Student journalist Meghnad Bose, who witnessed the police intervention, described police actions as aggressive in dispersing the protests.

Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry emphasized that the NYPD’s intervention was at the request of Columbia University to restore order and remove those unlawfully occupying campus buildings.

Meanwhile, tensions flared at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) as pro-Israel and pro-Palestine demonstrators clashed, prompting intervention by the Los Angeles Police Department. Despite violence, pro-Palestine protesters remained resolute, as highlighted by reporter Rob Reynolds.

The surge in protests across US campuses follows heightened tensions after recent events in Israel and Gaza, with criticism of Columbia University’s president and demands for divestment from Israel and associated companies.

Arrests extended beyond New York, with protesters detained at Tulane University in New Orleans, the University of South Florida, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles condemned the violence at UCLA, while Mayor Eric Adams defended the NYPD’s actions, attributing the protests to individuals unaffiliated with Columbia University.

[tta_listen_btn]