Students who formed a camp at Columbia University in New York City, protesting Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, were met with the full force of the New York Police Department after the school reversed course to allow police presence on campus. The decision provoked a reaction from the Democratic deputy. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and triggered a disagreement between the legislator and the online police force.
“Good SAT scores and self-entitlement are no substitute for the law,” NYPD Chief John Chell wrote in a tweet Thursday morning.
“Columbia has decided to hold its students accountable to school laws,” he added. “I’m sure you would agree that we have to teach them these valuable life skills.”
The comment came later Ocasio-Cortez complained Wednesday that Columbia made “the terrible decision to deploy the NYPD against its own students.”
THE PRESIDENT OF UT-AUSTIN ADVOCATES THE CLOSURE OF ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS: ‘OUR RULES MATTER AND WILL BE ENFORCED’
Students protest Israel’s war in Gaza, which has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths.
Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office for additional comment, but a response was not immediately received.
On Thursday, the NYPD responded to AOC, applauding the school for holding its students accountable for the “consequences of their actions.”
“Truly incredible! Columbia has decided to hold its students accountable to the school’s laws. They are seeing the consequences of their actions. Something these kids were probably never taught,” Chell wrote on Thursday.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SWITCHES TO HYBRID LEARNING ON MAIN CAMPUS AMID ANTI-SEMITIC PROTESTS
He continued: “Secondly, I was with those ‘units’ last Thursday that you describe as having ‘the most violent reputations.’ These ‘units’ removed the students very carefully and professionally, and no incidents were reported.”
And, “The only incidents that day on campus were the student’s hateful anti-Semitic rant and vile language against our police officers.”
The police chief also asked the lawmaker to “rethink” his comments and thank NYPD officers.
“I’m sure you agree that any hate speech is unacceptable. You should rethink your comments to a simple thank you to the NYPD and hate has no place in our society,” he wrote, adding, “Lack of accountability = consequences.”
Anti-Israeli protesters at Columbia University: 5 dramatic moments from a week of chaos
“Hate from anyone, anywhere has no place in our city and country,” Chell concluded.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry also weighed in, pointing out how the protests are impacting other students at the school.
“Everyone has the constitutional right to protest, it is one of the pillars on which our great democracy is based. But children also have the right to go to school without being harassed, threatened, intimidated or assaulted,” Daughtry wrote.
The deputy commissioner added, “There is nothing ‘horrible’ about protecting the safety of young Columbia students who are just trying to go to school. We’ve said it repeatedly, the NYPD will always protect and defend your right to protest but just because you hold up a sign while threatening, harassing, intimidating and assaulting people does not give you a free pass for criminal conduct.”
Anti-Israeli campus protesters demand administrators and vow to remain until universities comply
“Being anti-Semitic and spewing hatred towards children will never be tolerated in our city. Our police officers are the best and most highly trained law enforcement professionals in the world. Every day, they have to endure insults, threats and hate speech just because the uniform they wear while trying to keep the peace and protect the rights of all,” his tweet continued.
The NYPD deputy commissioner also encouraged Ocasio-Cortez to visit Columbia and walk the campus to see the protest.
“I promise that our officers will, as always, do their job and protect you as they have protected everyone on campus, regardless of what your political beliefs are. We will also make a report if you feel threatened,” she concluded.
On Wednesday, Ocasio-Cortez, who has publicly expressed her support for the protests — which she described as “peaceful” — criticized the school’s decision to call on law enforcement officials to help restore order on campus.
“Not only did Columbia make the terrible decision to deploy the NYPD against its own students, but the units called in have some of the most violent reputations on the force,” she tweeted. “The NYPD promised the city it would not implement the SRG [Strategic Response Group] for [the] protests.”
Columbia continued to negotiate with students to clear the camp after more than 100 students were arrested, but several failed attempts were mostly unsuccessful.
Columbia University avoided another clash between students and police on Wednesday when the school extended negotiations to reach an agreement on a midnight camp release that university president Minouche Shafik had set. on Tuesday. The school extended negotiations for another 48 hours.
Police said 133 protesters were detained at New York University this week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Original article source: NYPD responds to AOC, says officers ‘have to teach’ anti-Israel mobs the ‘consequences of their actions’
