NYU Claims a Dramatic Development Led to Arrests at Anti-Israel Protest

Getty Images/Faith Aktas

A New York University official confirmed the NYPD made “a number of arrests” on its campus Monday evening, claiming a demonstration in front of its business school spiraled into an impromptu encampment that included “intimidating chants” from hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters.

In a statement to The Daily Beast, NYU spokesperson John Beckman said the university called on cops—who, according to NYU’s student-run newspaper, arrived in riot gear along with massive buses to whisk away detained protesters—for assistance after demonstrators refused to leave an on-campus plaza.

“Today’s events did not need to lead to this outcome,” Beckman said.

Beckman explained the protest began Monday morning with 50 NYU students who didn’t give notice to the university, which is a private institution. He said the university placed barriers to prevent the demonstration from growing, but additional protesters—many Beckman said were not affiliated with the institution—broke through the barriers.

“This development dramatically changed the situation,” Beckman said. “We witnessed disorderly, disruptive, and antagonizing behavior that has interfered with the safety and security of our community, and that demonstrated how quickly a demonstration can get out of control or people can get hurt.”

Multiple reports said the protest grew to be well above 400 people. Kris Lipman, who graduated from New York University in 2015, told The New York Times he joined the NYU protests, adding, “What we’re saying to NYU is disclose—where is the money going? If you can’t say the money is not going to the genocide, divest,” she said. “It’s the morally humane response.”

NYPD officers arrived in droves around 8 p.m. and began arresting protesters—including university faculty members—approximately 30 minutes later, reported the student newspaper, the Washington Square News, along with The Times. Protesters reportedly chanted, “Students, students hold your ground. NYU back down.” Footage from the scene showed protesters being led single-file into busses with their hands zip-tied behind their backs.

Officers warned demonstrators through megaphones that they’d be arrested if they didn’t disperse, the Times reported. When nobody budged, officers donning riot gear reportedly broke through students who’d locked arms to protect Muslim demonstrators who were praying. The Square News reported that some protesters and a legal observer were pepper sprayed by an NYPD officer.

The NYPD did not respond to an email and call seeking information by The Daily Beast. It wasn’t immediately clear how many were arrested.

Beckman said the university “at one point” gave protesters an hour to disband without facing consequences, but the group “refused to leave.” He described a chaotic scene, which he said included reports of “intimidating chants and several antisemitic incidents.”

The Times and Square News reported the encampment was largely disbanded by 9:30 p.m. and that all protesters had either been arrested or had broken into smaller groups around the university, but not at the plaza in front of the business school.

The demonstration comes just days after a massive demonstration—that included an on-campus tent city—was shut down by the NYPD at Columbia University, where droves of protesters were arrested and some students, like the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), were suspended indefinitely.

Read more at The Daily Beast.