Manhattan is thrown into chaos as hundreds of police officers stormed universities in a coordinated strike aimed at clearing out pro-Palestinian protesters who refused to leave.
Protesters threw flares and barricaded themselves inside an administration building at the City University of New York, about 20 blocks north of Columbia University.
NYPD officers moved in after 9:30 p.m. to disperse the crowd as flares turned the college’s famous arch red and demonstrators chanted and waved flags in support of Gaza.
Other videos showed protesters using drills to attach pieces of wood together to create makeshift barriers as police appeared ready to intervene.
Police did not enter the CCNY campus and the tent encampment remained in place, although rumors circulated it would be emptied Wednesday.
This prompted hundreds of other protesters to arrive and attempt to force their way inside the university, where police had erected a barricade to prevent them from entering.
Students and protesters at the City College of New York also clashed with police Tuesday night as the city cracked down on pro-Palestinian demonstrators on college campuses.
Many protesters chose to leave Columbia as police surrounded the campus instead of being arrested and marched north to CCNY to join the protest.
Police earlier cleared protesters at Columbia University after weeks of protest at a tent encampment that intensified when a group took over Hamilton Hall.
Colombia, which was the epicenter of anti-Israel encampments that spread across the United States, saw hundreds of police invade the Ivy League campus and dozens more arrested to stop the camp.
Many protesters chose to leave Columbia as police surrounded the campus instead of being arrested and marched north to CCNY to join the protest there.
This led to a separate protest outside the gate and across the street, which police broke up and made dozens of arrests.
Videos posted on social media showed skirmishes between protesters and police at the time of the arrests.
One video showed a protester hitting police in the head with an empty five-gallon water jug with a sticker reading “Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.”
Police used pepper spray on protesters, and at least one journalist seen on video was caught in the crossfire.
“WE WILL NOT STOP, WE WILL NOT REST,” the CUNY Gaza Solidarity Encampment posted on X, along with video of flare-wielding protesters scaling a fence on campus.
Pro-Palestinian protesters are seen outside CCNY at 139th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.
An impressive number of police officers gather in front of the CCNY entrance, ready to evacuate the demonstrators
“As our encampments are attacked by the NYPD SRG with brutal force, all we can think about right now is our brothers and sisters facing imminent invasions in Rafah – ALL TO CCNY AND ALL EYES ON PALESTINE,” the account tweeted.
CCNY announced earlier today that all classes would be moved online until further notice.
President Vince Boudreau wrote in a letter to staff and students that the university respected the right to protest and the values of academic freedom and expression, but this was tested by the Hamas attack against Israel and the subsequent invasion of Gaza.
He said the encampment attempted to reconcile tensions between free speech and security, but the encampment posed additional problems since many protesters were not part of CCNY.
“This protest was more controversial and violent than anything we have seen on campus before,” he wrote.
The university sent a letter to camp members warning them of the dangers and asking them to dismantle it.
“We also urge everyone in our community to stay away from campus,” Boudreau said.
“This is obviously a heartbreaking time for the CCNY community and for me personally. I know that you join me in the fervent hope that this encampment can lead to a peaceful solution.
Police used pepper spray on protesters, and at least one journalist seen in the video was caught in the crossfire.
NYU was not implicated by police, but protesters threw fake blood outside the home of its president, Linda Mills, on Tuesday.
The attack was not carried out by students, but “by external members of the community in solidarity with NYU students.”
‘Linda Mills: Your administration is complicit in genocide. Blood on your hands. Long live Gaza,” they said.
The clashes outside CCNY were part of a broader effort by the NYPD to manage encampments on college campuses across the city, at the request of the universities.
The protests began April 17 at Columbia, as students demanded that the Ivy League university divest from companies that do business with Israel.
The protests continued despite threats of suspension and expulsion from the university. Early Tuesday morning, Columbia students violently stormed a university building.
In the evening, Columbia leaders asked the New York police to intervene and evacuate the demonstrators.
NYU was not implicated by police, but protesters threw fake blood outside the home of its president, Linda Mills, on Tuesday.
Puddle of fake blood reportedly outside NYU president’s home
Around 9 p.m., police stormed the university while the crowd chanted and shouted at them, some clashed with police and pushed barricades to try to block their way.
A shelter in place warning was issued to students at the Morningside campus moments before officers arrived.
In a statement, the university said the decision to call police was “made to restore safety and order to our community.”
“We regret that the protesters chose to escalate the situation through their actions,” the statement said.
After the University learned overnight that Hamilton Hall had been occupied, vandalized and boarded up, we had no choice.
“Columbia Public Safety personnel were forced to leave the building and a member of our facilities team was threatened. We will not endanger the safety of our community or the risk of further escalation.
dailymail us
