Out of control protesters at New York University swarmed and berated an NYPD chief and his officers after they cuffed one of the demonstrators at an anti-Israel rally, according to a video that went viral. The video shows NYPD Assistant Chief James McCarthy and his officers being chased and surrounded by protestors, who hurled profanities and insults at them. The crowd demanded the release of the woman in custody, calling the officers “fascists” and yelling expletives at them.
McCarthy and his officers were seen having difficulty getting inside the NYU Catholic Center after making an arrest. The protesters circled behind the officers, effectively trapping them and yelling obscenities. Some of the officers swatted the protesters’ hands away before McCarthy pushed through the crowd and led the officers around the building to search for another entrance. The protesters chanted “Free Palestine” and continued to insult the officers as they followed them.
The woman in custody pleaded with the officers to let her go, stating that all she did was throw a bag. As the officers found an entrance and hurried inside, they pushed out a protester who was trying to enter. The protesters were left on the other side of the glass doors, banging against them and accusing the police of breaking the law and kidnapping the protester. The NYPD did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the incident.
The incident occurred when the NYPD was called to clear out a campus encampment set up at NYU, resulting in more than 100 protesters being arrested. The students had created a “tent city” in solidarity with a similar encampment at Columbia University, demanding their school divest holdings connected to Israel due to the conflict in Gaza. During the clash with police, some protesters threw bottles at NYPD officers and one demonstrator even hit a cop in the head with a chair.
The tense situation escalated as protesters at NYU continued to resist police efforts to clear the encampment. The viral video captured the chaotic scene as officers were surrounded and harassed by the crowd. Despite the violence and verbal abuse, the NYPD worked to maintain control of the situation and ensure the safety of all involved. The protesters’ demands for the release of the woman in custody were not met, and the clash between law enforcement and demonstrators at NYU highlighted the ongoing tensions surrounding issues of social justice and political activism on college campuses.
