The NYPD began clearing out an anti-Israel tent encampment protest at New York University at the request of college officials Friday morning, just a few days after authorities arrested hundreds of demonstrators at other city campuses.
“We are on site and our officers will be assisting with the unparalleled professionalism embodied by our police officers,” NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Kaz Daughtry wrote on X shortly after 6 a.m., alongside video footage of officers arriving at the makeshift encampment.
NYU administrators requested that the police “take enforcement action” against the protesters who refuse to leave the premises, according to a letter included in Daughtry’s post.
The tent encampment has been up since April 26, the school claimed.
By around 7:30, police officers in riot gear helmets were seen standing guard outside every NYU entrance while others worked to sift through the tents and other debris from the demonstration, video from reporter Mary-Lyn Buckley showed.
“The encampment at NYU is being taken down, protesters have been removed, and campus is closed,” Buckley wrote.
NYU’s call to the NYPD came shortly after news broke that an officer “accidentally” fired their gun during the brutal Tuesday night raid on Hamilton Hall at Columbia University.
Police officers also started dismantling the encampments at The New School and Parsons Friday morning, according to video from independent journalist Katie Smith.
NYPD was tasked with clearing out the academic building after anti-Israel protesters illegally occupied it and defied the administration’s orders to evacuate.
Around 300 people – a mix of students and non-students – were arrested from the protests at Columbia and City College Tuesday night, according to the NYPD.