Eric Adams addressed the anti-Israel student protest that took place on Wednesday night, April 17, at Columbia University. Accompanied by other officials, the New York mayor did not comment on the demonstration's antisemitic rhetoric. He limited himself to describing the events, although he did assure that the students "do not have the right to violate university policies."
In a brief press conference on Thursday night, the Democrat confirmed that authorities arrested 108 people for the protests, although he welcomed the fact that there was no violence in the arrests.
"Columbia University students have a proud history of protesting and speaking out. Students have the right to free speech, but they do not have the right to violate university policies and disrupt learning on campus," Adams said.
Edward Caban, commissioner of the NYPD, stated, "the students who were arrested were peaceful, offered no resistance and were saying what they wanted to say."
The protests also gained national attention because of the participation of Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN).
"I am an organizer for CU Apartheid Divest Columbia (Student for Justice in Palestine), in my 3 years at Barnard College I have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings. I just received the news that I am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing genocide," the 21-year-old wrote on her X account.
The antisemitic protest at Columbia
On Wednesday morning, dozens of anti-Israel activists protested on the university campus, setting up camp on the main lawn to demonstrate against the Israel-Hamas war. The event continued late into the night, with calls for an intifada and even the death of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
NYPD officers finally arrested some protesters Thursday morning, prompting a statement from the college to clarify the situation for its students, including Hirsi.
"This morning, April 18, we began placing identified Barnard students who remained in the encampment on interim suspension, and we will continue to do so. Prior to noon on April 17, Columbia made multiple requests for students participating in the unauthorized encampment to leave the lawn. Several Barnard senior staff members also went to the lawn to ask Barnard students participating in the camp to leave and to warn Barnard students that they would be subject to sanctions at Barnard if they did not leave the camp," the letter stated.
