Protests at the City College of New York turned violent when protesters clashed with police officers outside the campus, where an “intifada” encampment had been erected. Video footage shows demonstrators attempting to push through a barricade set up by police, while officers push back to maintain their position. Garbage was hurled at the officers and one man exchanged shoves with a cop, leading to several arrests by a swarm of law enforcement. An NYPD officer was assaulted with a 5-gallon water jug labeled “Israel is committing genocide in Gaza,” resulting in the attacker being wrestled to the ground and taken into custody.
The protests escalated as rumors spread that CUNY administrators were planning to shut down the rally being held at the state-funded college. The demonstrations grew in size as supporters mobilized in response to the potential clearance of the encampment. Organizers warned that any attempts to disband the protest would be met with anger. The campus was littered with tents, Palestinian flags, and signs demanding that the CUNY system divest from Israel due to the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. A fiery speech by Within Our Lifetime organizer Nerdeen Kiswani called the protest the “University Intifada” and stressed the right to control tuition funds and prevent support for the oppression of any people.
The presence of the protesters was not all affiliated with the school, though faculty and union members were reported to be among the demonstrators. City College had been on spring break until the protests began, causing CCNY President Vince Boudreau to announce that the campus would be closed and all classes would be remote. Boudreau expressed concerns about the encampment posing significant difficulties for the campus and noted that the current demonstration was more contentious and violent than previous incidents related to the Gaza conflict.
Boudreau emphasized that the protest was not solely a CCNY or CUNY demonstration, indicating that the situation was challenging for the campus community and himself personally. He expressed hope for a peaceful resolution to the encampment. The protests and clashes outside the City College of New York highlight the tensions and violence surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as the broader political and social divides within communities and academic institutions. The episode also underscores the challenges faced by university administrators in managing and responding to contentious and potentially dangerous situations on campus.
