NYPD identifies outside 'infiltrators' who amped up Columbia anti-Israel protests, top brass says
The New York Police Department's chief of patrol told Fox News on Wednesday its investigative unit has identified and is further investigating details about outside "infiltrators" on Columbia University's campus that many believe are responsible for the violent turn in the demonstrations.
After a group of protesters burglarized Hamilton Hall, police engaged in an operation to detain those who were self-barricaded inside late Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Chief John Chell confirmed comments from New York Democratic Mayor Eric Adams announcing the existence of "organizations that are not part of that campus" and an ensuing "shift in tactics," including destruction of property and CCTV equipment.
"He's absolutely right. There are infiltrators on that campus," Chell told "Your World" just hours after another member of NYPD leadership, Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard, brought a massive chain and bike lock onto an MSNBC set to demonstrate the escalation in tactics police were facing when they entered Hamilton Hall through an upper window.
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"[O]ur intelligence division knows them by name, knows what they do, and they know how to act, so, no doubt about it," Chell said.
He explained that as suspects were arrested in Morningside Heights late Tuesday, officers would differentiate who is a Columbia student and who is not, and what "level of non-student" the outside agitators should be characterized as.
"There are definitely agitators influencing [and] radicalizing some of these kids," he said, citing the escalation in tactics that also included dismantling cameras and barricading doors.
Video playing during Chell's interview in that regard identified with a caption "professional protester" Lisa Fithian among the crowd of demonstrators on campus.
As for the idea that police had to wait for Columbia administrators to give the green light to enter the private campus, Chell clarified that the NYPD will go anywhere crimes are being committed, while their custom is to still seek requests for action in writing from collegiate leadership.
Chell added that police faced dueling situations of unrest Tuesday evening, as Columbia's chaos was soon matched by similar unrest at City College, which is about 20 blocks up Broadway from the Ivy League school.
"Our cops did a great job. We did a great job last night. The plan worked, and I think we showed the nation, the city, what the NYPD is capable of," he said.
The chief added that there have been about 2,400 protests in New York City since the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel.
He said the NYPD aims to remain politically neutral while being professional – "we're firm but fair."
So far, Chell said, there have been 282 individuals charged in Tuesday's combined unrest at Columbia and City College. Most charges thus far have been trespassing citations, while other charges included burglary and criminal mischief.
Two people suffered minor injuries in the operation, he said. It was unclear whether those individuals were law enforcement, protesters or civilians.