Massive Protest at New York University: Over 150 Detained
More than 150 people were detained by the NYPD during a large-scale pro-Palestinian protest at New York University. The events escalated as students called for an end to cooperation with Israel.
Monday evening’s events at New York University, in which more than 150 pro-Palestinian protesters were detained, took place on Gould Plaza on the NYU campus. Officers of the New York Police Department (NYPD) in riot gear were seen restraining protesters with zip ties and taking them to police buses stationed nearby, as captured by the NY1 news team. These incidents came after the university called for an end to its collaborations with Israel and divestment of investments in companies linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Reasons for the protest and demands
In particular, the protesting students demand an end to NYU’s collaboration with the Tel Aviv campus in Israel. They also demanded the public disclosure and termination of investments in companies linked to the war between Israel and Hamas. The events escalated when students camped out in tents near NYU’s business school.
NYU and NYPD Reactions
NYU spokesperson John Beckman stated that the situation changed dramatically in the afternoon as a result of “violations of instructions from Campus Security Officers and breaking multiple university rules.” Beckman added that many protesters refused to comply, despite being asked to leave by the university. In response, the NYU administration requested the NYPD’s assistance due to security issues.
Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry confirmed on social media platform X that the NYPD had received a letter from NYU “requesting the removal of individuals who failed to comply with repeated requests to leave Gould Plaza.” Daughtry stated that these individuals were described as “interfering with the safety and security of our community” and that the NYPD responded and made multiple arrests.
Timing of the demonstration and its repercussions
The protesters were told by NYU’s head of global campus security, Fountain Walker, that they had until 4pm to leave the area. However, the arrests took place several hours after that deadline, NY1 crews reported. NYU officials said the demonstration was launched without prior notice to the university.
Similar incidents on sister campuses
These events echo a similar protest at Columbia University last week, where more than 100 people were arrested. Developments in this process continue to reverberate both locally and nationally.
These events at New York University illustrate how political activism on college campuses and international events are reflected in local dynamics. This is an important example of both the power of student movements and how university administrations respond to such events.
