New York City Mayor Eric Adams angrily denounced anti-Israel protesters at Columbia University and warned on Sunday that the NYPD would not hesitate to arrest encamped demonstrators at the Ivy League school.

Adams denounced “the antisemitism being spewed at and around the Columbia University campus” and said those camped out at what is called the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” could be forcibly removed and arrested soon.

The protesters are “demanding an end to the war in Gaza, chanting pro-Hamas slogans, cheering deaths of Israeli soldiers, burning flags, and many other actions that have drawn condemnation from the university and the city government, including the Mayor,” according to Mediaite.

In Congress, meanwhile, both Democrats and Republicans have labeled the hate-filled demonstration “anti-Semitic” amid praise for the terrorist group Hamas and calls to burn down Tel Aviv.

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“I am horrified and disgusted with the antisemitism being spewed at and around the Columbia University campus — like the example of a young woman holding a sign with an arrow pointing to Jewish students stating ‘Al-Qasam’s Next Targets,’ or another where a woman is literally yelling ‘We are Hamas,’ or another where groups of students are chanting ‘We don’t want no Zionists here’ — and I condemn this hate speech in the strongest of terms,” Adams said.

The mayor further emphasized that law enforcement would be ready to act upon any request from the university to remove protesters. He shared his remarks both in a thread on social media platform X and in their entirety on his website.

I am horrified and disgusted with the antisemitism being spewed at and around the Columbia University campus. Hate has no place in our city, and I have instructed the NYPD to investigate any violation of law they receive a report about and will arrest anyone found to be breaking…

— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) April 21, 2024

“We will not be a city of lawlessness, and those professional agitators seeking to seize the ongoing conflict in the Middle East to sow chaos and division will not succeed,” Adams continued on the X platform.

“Supporting a terrorist organization that aims to kill Jews is sickening and despicable. As I have repeatedly said, hate has no place in our city, and I have instructed the NYPD to investigate any violation of law that is reported. Rest assured, the NYPD will not hesitate to arrest anyone who is found to be breaking the law,” he continued.

He added: “I do, however, want to be abundantly clear: Columbia University is a private institution on private property, which means the NYPD cannot have a presence on campus unless specifically requested by senior university officials. For the safety of all New Yorkers, I urge Columbia’s senior administration officials to improve and maintain an open line of communication with the NYPD to ensure the safety of all students and staff on campus.

“The NYPD has an increased presence of officers situated around the campus to protect students and all New Yorkers on public streets, and they stand ready to respond if a request is made by the university, like was done this past Thursday,” he continued.

“I know the conflict in the Middle East has left many of us grieving and angry. New Yorkers have every right to express their sorrow, but that heartbreak does not give anyone the right to harass or threaten others or to physically harm someone they disagree with,” Adams noted further. “As mayor of the city with the largest Jewish community in the world outside of Israel, the pain these protests are causing Jews across the globe is not lost on me, especially as we start Passover tomorrow evening. I also see and hear the pain of those protesting in support of innocent lives being lost in Gaza.”

Hamas fighters invaded Israeli territory on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,300 people and taking hundreds of hostages, some of whom were Americans. Israel responded by declaring war on the group and invading Gaza.

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