Protesters used 'heavy industrial chains' to barricade Columbia building
In a dramatic scene at Columbia University on Tuesday night, the New York Police Department arrested between 40-50 anti-Israel protesters who had illegally occupied a campus building. NYPD Deputy Commissioner Tarik Sheppard provided details of the operation during an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Wednesday.
Sheppard displayed some of the heavy chains and locks that protesters had used to secure the doors of Hamilton Hall after taking it over earlier that day. "This is not what students bring to school. This is what professionals bring to campuses and universities," he stated.
Deputy Commissioner Tarik Sheppard shows the chains used to secure Hamilton Hall at Columbia University.
— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) May 1, 2024
"This is not what students bring to school. This is what professionals bring to campuses and universities." pic.twitter.com/fwFUPZlIj7
To breach the barricaded building, the NYPD's emergency services unit first had to cut through the reinforced chains on the doors. They then cleared debris intentionally obstructing the entrances, including refrigerators, vending machines and chairs, according to Sheppard.
Footage also showed an armored NYPD vehicle with an attached ladder that allowed officers to enter through a window of the occupied hall. Sheppard commended the police for carrying out the operation and arrests "without incident," the Daily Wire reports.
What’s going on at Columbia University? Ezra Levant tries to find out
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) April 25, 2024
On this free episode of The Ezra Levant Show, Ezra uncovers an active pogrom on the grounds of Columbia University.
Home to the largest Jewish population of any city worldwide, New York has witnessed a… pic.twitter.com/57splxuq5M
The anti-Israel protest at Columbia began nearly two weeks ago, with demonstrators demanding the university divest from Israel amid the nation's conflict with Hamas. One protester was filmed smashing a window before the group renamed Hamilton Hall as "Hind's Hall" after someone they called "a martyr murdered...by the genocidal Israeli state."
Some conservative voices have alleged financial backing from organizations like George Soros' Open Society Foundations for the campus protests by groups like Students for Justice in Palestine. "There's real money behind it," claimed Sen. Ted Cruz.
.@EzraLevant attends New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (@FIT), where pro-Hamas protesters have stormed the lobby and refuse to leave.
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) April 25, 2024
For all of our coverage visit, https://t.co/iAWKHLz6Mr pic.twitter.com/7OnqPl2xCB
Former President Donald Trump echoed these claims of "paid agitators" being involved, citing the uniform nature of protest signs as evidence of professional coordination rather than grassroots activism.
Columbia University has not publicly commented on the allegations of external funding for the protests on their campus.
Ian Miles Cheong
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Ian Miles Cheong is a freelance writer, graphic designer, journalist and videographer. He’s kind of a big deal on Twitter.
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