CHAOS AT FORDHAM: Woman speaks out after protester rips Israeli flag from her hands, says it's 'Baffling': EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
'It's baffling to me what these students stand for...I don't know what their mission is, why they would take the flag out of my hand,' she said.
A woman in New York City spoke with Campus Reform after a pro-Palestine protester ripped a flag out of her hand at Fordham University.
Fordham University’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter set up a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” on Wednesday, with the New York Police Department eventually making multiple arrests.
In a post on the Fordham SJP’s Instagram, multiple students and tents were seen set up on Wednesday morning at the Lincoln Center campus, where the group stated: “WE HAVE SET UP AN ENCAMPMENT AT FORDHAM LINCOLN CENTER. JOIN US AT THE LOWENSTEIN LOBBY ASAP, SHOW SUPPORT!!”
During the protest, a pro-Palestine protester ripped an Israeli flag out of a woman’s hand before running into the protest to avoid being caught. Several individuals pointed out the woman to police.
Alana Katz, whose Israeli flag was ripped out of her hands, told Campus Reform she was on her way to pick up her daughter when she saw the protest.
”I was just walking by just on my way to pick up my daughter. And I saw that the pro-Hamas protesters had taken over a building and somebody handed me an Israeli flag to carry and I’m a supporter of Israel. So I was just holding that, I wasn’t chanting anything, or engaging with anyone,” said Katz.
”Somebody just came and grabbed it right out of my hand,” she added. “It’s baffling to me what these students stand for...I don’t know what their mission is, why they would take the flag out of my hand.”
Shortly after the encampment was set up, students received a text from Fordham’s emergency notification system, which read: “A demonstration is underway on the Lincoln Center campus at the Lowenstein Center on 60th Street and Columbus Avenue. There are no disruptions to classes or operations. Fordham Public Safety is on hand to protect everyone’s safety.”
[RELATED: TRASH: Humboldt campus occupiers left 8,000 LBS of debris, university says]
Later Wednesday morning, NYPD Legal officers were seen entering the building, while NYPD officers outside the building stood facing protesters who had gathered on the street outside of the building.
In a video taken by Campus Reform, Fordham University’s maintenance team can also be seen setting up tarps above the windows where protesters could look directly into the encampment.
Shortly following this, NYPD buses were also seen arriving at the university, while protesters chanted phrases such as “NYPD KKK,” and, “Students, students, stand your ground, NYPD back down.”
One Jewish individual told Campus Reform that he came to watch the protest and support Israel.
“We heard the chants for intifada and we decided to come down and show our support for Israel,” he said.
Footage captured by Campus Reform also shows protesters who chose to stay inside of the encampment after being told they’d be suspended after they stayed. These protesters were seen being handed papers with formal suspensions by university administrators, and the SJP commented on the suspensions saying: ‘BUT WE AINT READING THAT SH*T.”
Students who had access to the outside area directly above the encampment were seen unfolding a banner that read: “STUDENT INTIFADA.”
NYPD officers were seen in riot gear arriving outside of the protest, while students chanted: “Disclose, Divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.”
The NYPD then began to push protesters back to establish a perimeter, where multiple individuals were seen fighting back by yelling directly at officers.
University maintenance crews were seen shortly after setting up another banner to cover the main entrance to the campus, where after one corner holding it up fell, protesters began to mock the workers, with one individual was seen yelling: “Pieces of S–T,” and another was yelling: “F—-G B—h! You like being a good little f—--g dog?”
NYPD then arrested the individuals inside, and the protesters outside rushed to another entrance to the campus to attempt to intercept the students who were arrested.
Fordham students received an email later in the evening from Tania Tetlow, Fordham University president, where she stated: “Several dozen people pushed inside the lobby of the Lowenstein building and set up tents. After threats of conduct sanctions, most left. The remaining protesters refused to identify themselves or whether they were members of our community. After several warnings, NYPD arrested fifteen people for misdemeanor trespassing. We believe some of those were Fordham students.”
”Before today, the handful of protests we have experienced have been peaceful, mostly teach-ins and prayer vigils. We met with student leaders as recently as yesterday, readily agreeing to allow them to present their case about divestment and transparency to trustees and our chief investment officer. We remain committed to that process,” said Tetlow.
