New York City Mayor Eric Adams, along with top officials from the New York Police Department (NYPD), announced that approximately 300 individuals were arrested on April 30 after police moved in to remove protesters from Columbia University and the City College of New York (CCNY) following weeks of tension on the campuses and others across the nation.
“What I feared actually materialized,” Mr. Adams said. “I know that there are those who are attempting to say ‘Well, the majority of people may have been students.’ You don’t have to be the majority to influence and co-op an operation. That is what this about, and so if we want to play the word police—you could do so—I’m going to play the New York City Police.”
Mr. Adams went further, saying that it was his job to protect the city from those who were attempting to “do what is happening globally” which is to radicalize young people.
“There is a movement to radicalize young people and I’m not going to wait until it’s done and all of a sudden acknowledge the existence of it,” Mr. Adams added in his Wednesday morning press conference. “This is a global problem—that young people are being influenced by those who are professionals at radicalizing our children—and I’m not going to allow that to happen as the mayor of the City of New York.”
Mr. Adams said there were no injuries or violent clashes when clearing protesters from Columbia’s Hamilton Hall, which was overtaken by protesters who barricaded themselves inside earlier this week, escalating the protests from an outdoor encampment to a more serious and volatile situation.
He said there were incidents where trash cans, bottles, and other items were thrown at NYPD officers at CCNY, but officers remained professional and refrained from escalating the situation further.
Escalatory Tactics Led by Outsiders
Mr. Adams said individuals who led the movement to break into Hamilton Hall at Columbia’s main campus and barricade themselves inside were not students. Mr. Adams said the NYPD was still working to confirm how many of the approximately 300 arrested were students and how many were not affiliated with the universities.“Those who broke into [Hamilton Hall] did include students, but it was led by individuals who are not affiliated with the university,” Mr. Adams said in remarks Wednesday. “[Columbia] needed the NYPD’s assistance to clear Hamilton Hall and the encampments outside. It was a dual operation on the grounds that took place successfully clearing the tents taking back and reclaiming Hamilton Hall.”
The mayor continued, saying students had a right to protest and free speech was a cornerstone of American society, but it was a major concern when officials began to see those who “were never concerned” with free speech and only “concerned about chaos.”
“It was about external actors hijacking peaceful protests and influencing students to escalate,” Mr. Adams added. “There’s nothing peaceful about barricading building[s], destroying property, or dismantling security cameras. We cannot allow what should be a lawful protest to turn into a violent spectacle that ... serves no purpose.”
He detailed how the operation was necessary after it became clear that negotiations with the protesters were unfruitful.
The mayor added that the city saw similar indicators from the Black Lives Matter protests where outsiders came to the city to disrupt it.
NYPD Assistant Commissioner Rebecca Weiner, from the Intelligence & Counterterrorism Bureau, said that they became aware of individuals who were known over the years to be “associated with protests not just in [New York] but in other cities as well” who were linked to training and tactics such as breaking windows, doors, and vandalism.
Element of Surprise, Advanced Policing Techniques
Mr. Caban added that since the terrorist attack of Oct. 7 in Israel, the NYPD has responded to more than 2,400 protests and demonstrations across New York City, with about 1,100 of those related to the situation in Israel and Palestine.“We’ve worked to keep protesters safe and protect their First Amendment rights at the same time we work to keep our residents and workforce safe, to make sure our neighborhoods have full access to emergency services, and to keep life moving in the largest city in the nation.”
In Tuesday evening’s police activity, the NYPD utilized advanced methods such as drones and encrypted communications, which played a crucial role in the operation.
“Drones allowed us to do a complete analysis of the Hamilton building and the location. We were able to know how to precisely go in and conduct the operation,” Mr. Adams elaborated.
He praised the strategic use of these technologies, which prevented the agitators from anticipating police movements.
Mr. Adams reiterated his support for free speech and peaceful protests but emphasized the necessity of maintaining public order and safety. “While we support the right to protest and open debate, we must balance that right with keeping our city safe,” he stated.
This sentiment was echoed by NYPD officials who stressed that their primary responsibility is the safety of the public, including students and faculty.
As time progresses, there will be ongoing coordination with Columbia and other academic institutions.
“We are going to continue to coordinate with Columbia as we have been from the start, to find a peaceful middle ground allowing our young people to protest without violence,” Mr. Adams concluded.
NYPD will be on campus until at least May 17.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner Tarik Sheppard, a public information officer, highlighted the disciplined approach of the police.
“Last night is another example of why we call [the NYPD] New York’s finest,” Mr. Sheppard said. “Just a tremendous job done by the men and women of the NYPD. Such restraint, such precision—just a totally great job by the men and women of the NYPD.”
