NYC mayor hammers 'professional' Columbia anti-Israel agitators, says NYPD 'ready' to move in

New York City Mayor Eric Adams connected Sunday warned that nan New York City Police Department "cannot person a presence" astatine Columbia University’s field "unless specifically requested by elder assemblage officials," decrying "professional agitators" and "antisemitism being spewed" astatine nan Ivy League School. 

"I americium horrified and disgusted pinch nan antisemitism being spewed astatine and astir nan Columbia University campus," Adams said, citing nan illustration of a young female holding a motion pinch an arrow pointing to Jewish students stating "Al-Qasam’s Next Targets." 

The Al-Qassam Brigade is nan subject helping of Hamas. 

The politician noted different lawsuit wherever a female is virtually yelling "We are Hamas," and different wherever groups of students are chanting "We don’t want nary Zionists here."

"I condemn this dislike reside successful nan strongest of terms. Supporting a terrorist organization that intends to termination Jews is sickening and despicable. As I person many times said, dislike has nary spot successful our city, and I person instructed nan NYPD to analyse immoderate usurpation of rule that is reported. Rest assured, nan NYPD will not hesitate to apprehension anyone who is recovered to beryllium breaking nan law," Adams continued. "We will not beryllium a metropolis of lawlessness, and those master agitators seeking to prehend nan ongoing conflict successful nan Middle East to sow chaos and section successful our metropolis will not succeed."

Adams specifically said, "I do, however, want to beryllium abundantly clear: Columbia University is simply a backstage institution connected backstage property, which intends nan NYPD cannot person a beingness connected field unless specifically requested by elder assemblage officials. The NYPD has an accrued beingness of officers situated astir nan field to protect students and each New Yorkers connected adjacent nationalist streets, and they guidelines fresh to respond if different petition is made by nan university, arsenic they did connected Thursday, erstwhile nan NYPD successfully cleared encampments connected Columbia’s South Lawn without immoderate injuries."

COLUMBIA RABBI TELLS JEWISH STUDENTS TO LEAVE CAMPUS, WARNS THAT SCHOOL, NYPD 'CANNOT GUARANTEE YOUR SAFETY'

New York City Mayor Eric Adams attends a memorial for nan 30th day of nan sidesplitting of a Jewish teen connected nan Brooklyn Bridge connected March 1, 2024. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The mayor’s connection came hours earlier Columbia University President Dr. Nemat "Minouche" Shafik, who was hauled earlier Congress to reside nan school’s inaction connected antisemitism, collapsed her soundlessness overnight. Shafik canceled classes connected Monday, calling for a "reset" arsenic "tensions person been exploited and amplified by individuals who are not affiliated pinch Columbia who person travel to field to prosecute their ain agendas." 

Instead of bringing successful constabulary to disperse nan "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" that has persisted for days connected nan South Lawn, Shafik promised a "working group of Deans, assemblage administrators and module members will effort to bring this situation to a resolution" successful nan coming days, including done "continuing discussions pinch nan student protestors and identifying actions we tin return arsenic a organization to alteration america to peacefully complete nan word and return to respectful engagement pinch each other." 

Anti-Israel agitators resume demonstrations astatine Columbia University connected nan 5th time of "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" connected April 21, 2024. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)

"I cognize that location is overmuch statement astir whether aliases not we should usage nan constabulary connected campus, and I americium happy to prosecute successful those discussions," Shafik said. "But I do cognize that amended adherence to our rules and effective enforcement mechanisms would obviate nan request for relying connected anyone other to support our organization safe. We should beryllium capable to do this ourselves."

GOP CONGRESSWOMAN DEMANDS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 'RESTORE ORDER AND SAFETY' AMID ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS

Before nan commencement of Passover connected Monday, Columbia and Barnard college’s rabbi warned Jewish students to return to their homes, arsenic Columbia University’s Public Safety and nan NYPD "cannot guarantee Jewish students’ information successful nan look of utmost antisemitism and anarchy." 

Columbia University President Nemat "Minouche" Shafik testifies earlier nan House Committee connected Education and nan Workforce connected April 17, 2024. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Adams connected Sunday besides urged Columbia’s elder management officials "to amended and support an unfastened statement of connection pinch nan NYPD to guarantee nan information of each students and unit connected campus, arsenic good arsenic for nan information of each New Yorkers." The politician acknowledged really "the conflict successful nan Middle East has near galore of america grieving and angry," and while New Yorkers "have each correct to definitive their sorrow," but that "heartbreak does not springiness anyone nan correct to harass aliases frighten others aliases to physically harm personification they disagree with." 

"As politician of nan metropolis pinch nan largest Jewish organization successful nan world extracurricular of Israel, nan symptom these protests are causing Jews crossed nan globe is not mislaid connected me, particularly arsenic we commencement Passover tomorrow evening. I besides spot and perceive nan symptom of those protesting successful support of guiltless lives being mislaid successful Gaza," Adams said. "In this infinitesimal of heightened hostility astir nan world, we guidelines agreed against hate."

Shafik allowed nan NYPD to travel onto field and apprehension much than 100 group connected Thursday, nan time aft her legislature testimony, but they person since been released from custody and nan protestation escalated.