NYPD posts photos of book on terrorism, hammers, knives found in Columbia building occupied by anti-Israel protesters

A senior New York Police Department official shares photos of objects officers recovered after clearing a Columbia University building occupied by anti-Israel protesters earlier this week, including gas masks, helmets, goggles, hammers, knives, ropes and a book on terrorism.

“These are not the tools of students protesting, these are the tools of agitators, of people who were working on something nefarious,” NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry writes on X, formerly Twitter.

“Continue to peacefully and lawfully protest; but know that if you engage in illegal conduct, the NYPD will hold you responsible and hold you accountable — someone has to,” he adds.

Pencils, books, laptops, those are the tools of students and what you expect to find on a college campus. But here’s what the NYPD found in Hamilton Hall at Columbia University after we were able to arrest the protestors and agitators for commandeering and barricading themselves… pic.twitter.com/EKQV6nJySu

— Kaz Daughtry (@kazdaughtry) May 3, 2024

Responding to the NYPD post, the Columbia Jewish Alumni Association slammed criticism of police dispersal of the anti-Israel encampment from within the prestigious New York university’s staff.

“You are a disgrace,” the Jewish group says.

To the irresponsible faculty who cried rivers that NYPD ended the antisemitic hate festival at @Columbia this week. Here's what NYPD found in our school:

"Gas masks, ear plugs, helmets, goggles, tape, hammers, knives, ropes, and a book on TERRORISM. "

You are a disgrace. https://t.co/9ETwe71k2e

— Columbia Jewish Alumni Assoc. (@CU_JewishAlumni) May 3, 2024

Police cleared some 40 people from Columbia’s Hamilton Hall on Tuesday night after protesters against Israel broke into the building and barricaded themselves inside, and made over 100 arrests when they cleared the campus pro-Palestinian encampment on Thursday.