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Eight individuals were arrested during a protest organized by the New York University chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) on Thursday afternoon, during which access was blocked to the university’s main library, JNS reported.
“The university rejects any claims that this is a peaceful protest,” said John Beckman, NYU’s senior vice president for public affairs and strategic communications, in a statement to JNS. “The people involved were intentionally targeting members of our community.”
BREAKING: Protesters have locked their arms together and are blocking NYU Bobst Library, saying “We demand Liberation!” as they protest for Palestine.
Video by @Dean_Moses @FreedomNTV [email protected] to license pic.twitter.com/T5v56nnFmC
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) December 12, 2024
Beckman further stated, “Their harassing behavior disrupted our academic operations at a particularly critical moment in the semester—as finals start—ignored the rights of students who wish to study in the library and interfered with safe passage into and out of a core academic building.”
He explained that police were called to the scene “to ensure the safety of our community, to restore clear and free access to the building and to help maintain order.”
Video footage shared on social media appeared to show that the protesters were demonstrating against the state of Israel.
Today, NYU’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) publicly called to block the entrance to Bobst Library.
NYU issued an advisory stating that blockading buildings was not allowed.
Eventually, NYPD arrived and arrested eight protesters who refused to end the blockade. pic.twitter.com/PbsnXrQp6m
— The NYU Review (@nyureview) December 12, 2024
Columbia University last year suspended both SJP and Jewish Voice for Peace, citing “repeatedly violated University policies related to holding campus events” by the two groups.
Previously, Brandeis University announced it is revoking recognition of the campus chapter of SJP, saying the group “openly supports Hamas”.
The group was also suspended at George Washington University over its anti-Israel messaging on campus.
Earlier this year, the University of Maryland revoked a permit it had given to SJP to hold an anti-Israel vigil on the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. SJP later filed a federal lawsuit against the school.
Campuses across the US have seen a surge in antisemitic activities since the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the war in Gaza which followed.
In July, NYU settled a lawsuit by Jewish students who accused the school of failing to stop antisemitism on campus.
