Mayor Adams’ Statement on Ongoing Protests at Columbia University

April 21, 2024

NEW YORK – New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams at this time launched the next assertion in response to the continuing protests occurring at Columbia College:

“I’m horrified and disgusted with the antisemitism being spewed at and across the Columbia College campus — like the instance of a younger lady holding an indication with an arrow pointing to Jewish college students stating ‘Al-Qasam’s Subsequent Targets,’ or one other the place a girl is actually yelling ‘We’re Hamas,’ or one other the place teams of scholars are chanting ‘We don’t need no Zionists right here’ — and I condemn this hate speech within the strongest of phrases. Supporting a terrorist group that goals to kill Jews is sickening and despicable. As I’ve repeatedly mentioned, hate has no place in our metropolis, and I’ve instructed the NYPD to research any violation of legislation that’s reported. Relaxation assured, the NYPD won’t hesitate to arrest anybody who’s discovered to be breaking the legislation.

“We won’t be a metropolis of lawlessness, and people skilled agitators searching for to grab the continuing battle within the Center East to sow chaos and division in our metropolis won’t succeed.

“I do, nonetheless, need to be abundantly clear: Columbia College is a personal establishment on personal property, which suggests the NYPD can’t have a presence on campus until particularly requested by senior college officers. The NYPD has an elevated presence of officers located across the campus to guard college students and all New Yorkers on close by public streets, and so they stand prepared to reply if one other request is made by the college, as they did on Thursday, when the NYPD efficiently cleared encampments on Columbia’s South Garden with none accidents.

“I urge Columbia’s senior administration officers to enhance and keep an open line of communication with the NYPD to make sure the protection of all college students and workers on campus, in addition to for the protection of all New Yorkers.

“I do know the battle within the Center East has left many people grieving and offended. New Yorkers have each proper to precise their sorrow, however that heartbreak doesn’t give anybody the fitting to harass or threaten others or to bodily hurt somebody they disagree with.

“As mayor of town with the most important Jewish neighborhood on the earth outdoors of Israel, the ache these protests are inflicting Jews throughout the globe isn’t misplaced on me, particularly as we begin Passover tomorrow night. I additionally see and listen to the ache of these protesting in help of harmless lives being misplaced in Gaza.

“On this second of heightened pressure around the globe, we stand united towards hate.”

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