New York Mayor Eric Adams, who earlier this week created a commission to combat antisemitism, told Newsmax on Friday that "professional prosecutors" are investigating the arrests of anti-Israel protesters who took over a library at Columbia University earlier this month.
The New York Police Department reportedly arrested 80 protesters on May 7 who took over the Butler Library demanding the university divest itself from ties with Israel. Columbia reportedly placed at least 65 students on interim suspension last week, and barred another 33 from campus.
"There are various arrests that stem from the action that was taken, going on to the library grounds, destruction of property," Adams told "Rob Schmitt Tonight." "And so, the police department is going to process the arrests, and the district attorneys will make the determination of exactly what the charges will be."
Adams, a Democrat who is running for reelection this year as an independent, was asked whether he is confident that Democrat District Attorney Alvin Bragg will back prosecuting any of the protesters if the investigation reveals charges are warranted.
"You know, there are professional prosecutors who are on the scene and on the case, and they understand that we have to allow students to go to school, attend school, not be harassed," Adams said. "We're talking about young people taking their finals. You know how much stress that could be on someone, and the last thing you want to deal with is any agitator that's going to get in the way of that."
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Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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