NYU anti-Israel protesters form human chain as police move in for arrests
Anti-Israel protesters on the campus of New York University formed a human chain Monday evening as police moved in to break up the demonstration.
Video shot by Fox News Digital shows the NYPD telling students: "You have been warned by New York University to leave the area."
Those who did not leave soon, would be arrested for trespassing, NYPD said.
NYU's Global Campus Safety posted on Instagram that protesters had breached the barriers set up at Gould Plaza, Fountain Walker.
"The one safety requirement we made was that no additional protestors could enter Gould Plaza. With the breach of the barricades early this afternoon, that requirement was violated, and we witnessed disorderly, disruptive, and antagonizing behavior that has interfered with the safety and security of our community," the university said in a statement.
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"We cannot tolerate people getting hurt. You will need to clear the plaza by 4:00 pm. If you leave now, no one will face any consequences for today’s actions—no discipline, no police."
Mass arrests began around 8:30 p.m. Within an hour, the demonstration had largely fizzled out.
The university, like other campuses nationwide, has been embroiled in protests against Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
The protests have pitted students against one another, with pro-Palestinian students demanding that their schools condemn Israel's assault on Gaza and divest from companies that sell weapons to Israel.
Meanwhile, Jewish students have said the criticism of Israel has veered into antisemitism and made them feel unsafe, and they point out that Hamas is still holding hostages taken during the group's Oct. 7 invasion.
At NYU, some protesters could be heard chanting, "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" – a slogan that many regard as a call to genocide. Others were seen stepping on Israel's flag.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.