Adams, And Caban Share Details: 50% Of Columbia/City College Protests Involved Unaffiliated Parties

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Edward A. Caban today released additional details surrounding the arrests.

The arrests were of 282 individuals two days ago who participated in violent protests and unlawful conduct at Columbia University and The City College of New York (CCNY) in Harlem. On April 30, 112 individuals were arrested at a protest at Columbia with charged ranging from burglary, obstructing governmental administration, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, trespassing, and disorderly conduct (including obstructing vehicular/pedestrian traffic/failure to disperse); approximately 29 percent of these individuals were not affiliated with Columbia.

Also, on April 30, 170 individuals were arrested at a protest at CCNY with charges ranging from burglary, assault on a police officer, obstructing governmental administration, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, trespassing, and disorderly conduct (including obstructing vehicular/pedestrian traffic/failure to disperse); 60 percent of these individuals were not affiliated with CCNY.

“Free speech and peaceful protest remain the fabric of our society…”

“The world is watching New York City, and our message to them has been clear: We will not be a city of lawlessness, and we will not allow our youth to be influenced by those who have no goal other than spreading hate and wreaking havoc on our city,” said Mayor Adams. “As the anti-Israel protests began to escalate, it became abundantly clear that individuals unaffiliated with these schools had entered these different campuses and, in some cases, were even training students in unlawful protest tactics, many which we witnessed escalating into violent conduct. What is now even clearer is the extent to which outsiders were actually present. Nearly half of those arrested at Columbia and City College were not affiliated with these schools. Free speech and peaceful protest remain the fabric of our society, but that is not what we have been witnessing on these campuses. There is nothing peaceful about barricading buildings, destroying property, dismantling security cameras, or calling for the destruction of an entire people, and we will not allow what should be peaceful gatherings to turn into violent spectacles.”

“The situation on our college campuses over the past few weeks has been dynamic and fast developing — but one constant has been the incredible work of the men and women of the New York City Police Department,” said NYPD Commissioner Caban. “What we have seen, and what has been made clear by the evidence emerging after this week’s arrests, is that professional, external actors are involved in these protests and demonstrations. These individuals are not university students, they are not affiliated with either the institutions or campuses in question, and they are working to escalate the situation. We saw a shift in tactics, and the safety of all students, school faculty, staff, and the public became a real concern. These once peaceful protests are being exploited by professional outsiders, and our young people are the ones most at risk. The right to protest is critical to our democracy, and the NYPD’s job is to protect that right. But we will never tolerate violence, property damage, or the disruption of emergency services. All people in our city have a right to public safety, and that is what the NYPD is committed to providing.”

Since Tuesday night’s arrests, the NYPD has been investigating which individuals were affiliated with the different schools and which were not. Most arrested did not cooperate with the NYPD and would not provide information — slowing down the process of identifying whether they had any affiliation with Columbia or CCNY.

At many of the encampments set up on these campuses, protestors listed a set of their own rules — apparently without school authorization — for entering the encampment, one of which included not talking to or divulging any information to members of the NYPD.

Photo credit: 1) An example of “Gaza Solidarity Encampment: Community Guidelines” at Columbia University. Language states: “7. We commit to never share the names or details of anyone we miss in this camp. We keep us safe, which includes refusing to comply with any demands if the NYPD of Columbia admin try to force us to disclose the identities of any fellow campers.” (right) Another example of “Gaza Solidarity Encampment: Community Guidelines” at Columbia University. Language states: “7. We commit to not share the names or details of anyone we meet in this camp space with someone in the administration as we realize they could be targeted, and this could cause them great harm. We keep us safe, that includes refusing to comply with any demands if the NYPD, Private Investigators, or Columbia Admin try to force us to disclose the identities of any of our fellow students!”. 2) Approximately 29 percent of arrests at Columbia University and 60 percent of arrests at CCNY included individuals unaffiliated with these schools. Source: NYPD. 3) n Instagram post shared from CCNY’s Students for Justice in Palestine page. Language states: “DO NOT ENGAGE WITH COPS, ZIONISTS, OR THE MEDIA.”