On the morning of May 3, some 45 New School protestors and 14 from NYU were taken into custody by the NYPD.
Among those arrested was pro-Palestinian protestor Noah Stojanovic, 20, who had previously been arrested at NYU but was back protesting at The New School for Social Research on East 16 Street.
There was a sparse presence of demonstrators due to an early morning NYPD raid that resulted in the arrest of 45 New School protestors who were issued Desk Appearance Tickets.
According to Stojanovic, the protest had been peaceful until the NYPD forcibly removed the students from the university campus.
The New School, along with other Manhattan colleges, has been dealing with pro-Palestine encampments since April, with multiple arrests occurring at different universities.
Despite his previous arrest at NYU, Stojanovic, a freshman studying psychology at the New School, was not suspended but was unable to attend classes due to the ongoing protests.
Student protestors are calling for the New School to divest from companies linked to Israel in their endowment.
University officials at the New School have tried to negotiate with the protestors, but the students have not budged from their demands.
At NYU, an additional 13 protestors were arrested after the NYPD cleared an encampment that was obstructing the Greene St. Walkway.
Protests continued the following day with police monitoring the situation as protestors marched in lower Manhattan.
Willa Folmar, a supporter of the students at NYU, expressed concerns about the police response to peaceful protests and the political implications of the pro-Palestine movement.
Lance Bennett, a nearby resident, showed support for the protests but questioned the students’ right to dictate the school’s investment decisions.
The demands for divestment from Israel stem from a terror attack in southern Israel by Hamas, and ongoing tensions in the region.
Timmy Soro, a NYU graduate of Palestinian descent, sees the protests as a historical step towards Palestinian liberation and expresses concerns about political implications for the Arab community.
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