A group of Jewish students were forced to lock themselves in a library at a NY college to escape pro-Palestainin protesters who hammered on the door.
Video captured Jewish students inside the building as the mob banged on the library doors at The Cooper Union, a liberal college in Manhattan.
Another video showed the protestors pounding on windows while one student, who appeared to be wearing a kippah, sat talking to another student.
Video from the @cooperunion library now: pic.twitter.com/skOM1vWsv0
— Jake Novak (@jakejakeny) October 25, 2023
The protestors pushed past a security guard to access the building, shouting "globalize the intifada" and "Free, free Palestine."
It came after a protest outside the building, where Jewish students held large placards of kidnapped Israelis and were heckled by pro-Palestinian protesters.
Prof Jeff Lax, a law professor at City University of New York, said his nephew was one of the students trapped in the library.
“My nephew was one of the Jewish Cooper Union students barricaded in its library as pro-Hamas animals banged on and tried to get into the library - to do what with them?” he posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“They then went to a see-through glass area, continued to taunt the Jewish students, banging on the glass and chanting things like ‘Globalize the Intifada’.
“Heroically, though I will not share his name right now, my nephew refused to escape through tunnels when security came to free them. He insisted on marching right out front so he would be seen.
“All of the harassed Jewish students appear to be safe.
“WE MUST NOT STAND FOR THIS!.”
Here’s the half-hearted effort of @cooperunion security to keep pro-Hamas protestors from surrounding Jewish students who had to lock themselves in the school’s library for safety.
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) October 26, 2023
cc: @GovKathyHochul @NYCMayor pic.twitter.com/PsmDPl1Yfe
Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement: “We have been in contact with the NYPD and Cooper Union leadership about the situation that unfolded on campus.
"The NYPD was present on the scene and was coordinating with school security during the entire event, ensuring no one was injured.
“While the students at Cooper Union have a right to peacefully protest, hate has no place in our city.”
A college spokesperson said: “The Library was closed for approximately 20 minutes while student protestors moved through our building.
"Some students who were previously in the Library remained during this time. All students have now dispersed."
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