New York City’s law enforcement leaders delivered an update Wednesday morning, hours after sweeping through the historic Hamilton Hall at Columbia University and clearing out a group of anti-Israel agitators who had “occupied” the building as part of their ongoing demonstrations.
Mayor Eric Adams warned that a global movement to “radicalize young people” is being led by individuals who are “not affiliated with the university”. Nevertheless, they recruited students to “create chaos.”
“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,” he told reporters Wednesday morning.
‘This is a global problem that young are being influenced by those who are professionals and radicalizing our children. And I’m not going to allow that to happen. As the mayor of the city of New York.”
Police finally stormed the structure after school administrators repeatedly retreated from enforcing deadlines demanding the groups dismantle their campus encampment over the past two weeks.
Columbia University officials finally threatened the group with expulsion after students smashed their way into the school’s Hamilton Hall and “occupied” the building.
“There’s nothing peaceful about barricading buildings, destroying property or dismantling security cameras,” Adams said.
His remarks came after university officials finally asked police for support as campus demonstrations grew increasingly unruly.
Police arrested about 300 people at Columbia and at City College overnight.
“Students occupying the building face expulsion,” school spokesman Ben Chang declared in bold letters in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
The blunt warning came about 12 hours after photos showed a mob of masked and keffiyah-clad demonstrators broke into the building, barricaded the doors and took it over.
“The work of the University cannot be endlessly interrupted by protesters who violate the rules,” Chang said.
“Continuing to do so will be met with clear consequences. Protesters have chosen to escalate to an untenable situation – vandalizing property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances – and we are following through with the consequences we outlined yesterday.”
