Even if this were true (spoiler alert: it's not) how on earth would this be the business of the police? https://t.co/G27mlAAmdb
— Will Bunch (@Will_Bunch) May 4, 2024
The fellow who evidently is Deputy Commissioner of Operations of the New York Police Department here maintains
I believe about 99% are students and Chief Sheldon talked about some of the literature and leaflets we found at both of these sites, one being here at The New School and one being at NYU. I just want to say- and I said it before- that there's somebody behind this movement. There is some organization behind this movement. The level of organization that we're seeing in both of these- campus here and at Columbia- leaflets on how to protest; leaflet on how to commit civil disobedience; leaflets on what to do when you get arrested; leaflet on what to say to police when they ask you. There is somebody funding this. There is somebody radicalizing our students and our Deputy Commissioner of Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence will find out who it is. And we're going to be asking some questions when we do.
His colleague (Chief Sheldon?) adds
So this is a piece of literature amongst many we recovered from NYU and this is one of many as I said. But I just want to read this here. It says "Occupy the occupiers. Enter the temporary autonomous zone from New York to Gaza from across Turtle Island. Disrupt, reclaim, destroy Zionist business interests everywhere. Death to Israel real estate. Death to America (word indistinguishable to me-MSL). Long live the Intifada!" So this is the mindset of some of these protestors.
At 2:35, the DCO of the NYPD picks it up with
And you know what- just let me add. If you go on my social media page, this is very important. I took a picture of this: lessons on attacking a school. Can you believe that? Lessons on how to take over a school- at NYU. Tell me that's not somebody radicalizing our students. What NYU student would do something like this? Somebody's behind this. (Shows reporters the purported pamphlet) "Lessons on taking over a school: 1) Out of the quad; 2) If you build, they will come; 4) Listen to the organizers; 5) Be prepared; 6) Read the pamphlets." Lessons on how to take over a school. Come on, folks. There's somebody behind this.
If Bunch is arguing that most of the protestors are homegrown, he is not contradicting anything stated by the police officer, who in a fit of exaggeration stated "I believe 99% are students." However, the source of funding is shrouded in secrecy. Moreover, reasoning that the movement is "being facilitated and fueled by foreign agents," a senior research fellow at the right-wing Heritage Foundation
also referenced how there have been "training sessions" at Columbia and elsewhere organized by Palestinian groups to help train students on the same "talking Points" that Hamas and Hezbollah leaders have repeatedly made in speeches that call for "a global intifada and the assistance of foreign allies."
However, there is fertile ground both there and at New York University for foreign influence or "outside agitators." Drawing little attention
Between 2014 and 2020, Muslim-majority countries together donated $4.86 billion to American higher-educational institutions, representing 29 percent of all foreign donations.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia were responsible for much of this largesse. The two countries together invested $3.7 billion in American higher education and were cumulatively responsible for 2,303 grants, gifts, and contracts, of which 422 exceeded $1 million and 17 exceeded $50 million in value. Most of the largest gifts came from Qatar to Cornell and Carnegie Mellon.
Qatar’s role is particularly troubling, since the country is often an ally to both Iran and Hamas. The country also backs other terrorist groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, and is home to the most important Middle Eastern media outfit, Al Jazeera. Along with Saudi Arabia, Qatar is among the largest donors to Palestinian organizations and causes.
No doubt more recent figures would indicate at least as large a stake for Arab nations of the Middle East as prevailed a few years ago. And
It’s too early to make direct connection between a school’s anti-Israel agitation and its donations from Middle Eastern countries, but the biggest recipients, such as Cornell, NYU, Georgetown, and Harvard tend to have large pro-Hamas elements. Student groups on each of those campuses have embraced the Hamas cause, most prominently at Harvard, where more than 30 student groups initially signed pro-Hamas statements, though some have since sought to dissociate themselves.
Even without the recent disruption and criminal behavior on college campuses, these "donations" were drawing dividends. At New York University's Department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
we recognize the complex origins, histories, and legacies of the fields in which we work. The academic study in the United States of these lands has too often been inflected by bias, unquestioned assumptions of civilizational difference and inferiority, and derogatory framings that have distorted scholarly understanding and contributed to the fostering of Islamophobia and of other discriminatory and racist attitudes toward people in the Middle East, as well as those of Middle Eastern origin in the United States. Moreover, the policies which the United States has pursued in this region, through military intervention, covert action, support for oppressive regimes, and other means, have often had pernicious, even catastrophic, consequences for those on the receiving end of American power, undermining the aspirations of the region’s peoples for self-determination, human rights, democracy, and a decent life. Much work remains to be done in the fields and disciplines in which we work in order to overcome the legacies of the past, including the continuing disparities of power and wealth which affect how knowledge about the Middle East is produced and disseminated. We are therefore committed, as scholars and teachers, not only to pursuing our work in keeping with the highest academic and pedagogical standards but also to standing in solidarity with the peoples of the region we study and their ongoing struggles against authoritarian and often brutal regimes, settler colonialism, external intervention, the denial of gender, ethnic and civic equality, social justice and political freedom.
And of course, DEI:
MEIS at NYU is also dedicated to creating and promoting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community with/for its faculty, students, and staff, who come from a variety of backgrounds, current circumstances, and personal and social identities.
This "Principles & Priorities" is fairly clear on its anti-Americanism. Academic study is deeply "infected by bias" with "derogatory framings" which have "contributed to the fostering of Islamophobia... toward people in the Middle East, as well as those of Middle Eastern origin in the United States." And the USA is guilty of polies which "through military intervention, covert action, support for oppressive regimes, and other means, have often had pernicious, even catastrophic, consequences for those on the receiving end of American power." Further
in order to overcome the legacies (sic) of the past, including the continuing disparities of power and wealth," the department will be "standing in solidarity with the peoples of the region we study and their ongoing struggles against authoritarian and often brutal regimes, seller colonialism, external intervention, the denial of gender, ethnic and civic equality, social justice and political freedom.
That is a shot across the bow of the USA, Israel, and Europe- which is not Arabic or Persian, not Muslim- and seen in some quarters as thoroughly wicked. Poorly understood, even to experienced Philadelphia Inquirer reporters. it is a sentiment that is growing. With violence increasingly likely in the future, the violations of law which stem from the anti-Western bias must be a concern of both the federal Department of Homeland Security and the intelligence unit of the NYPD.
Most of the protestors, as the New York police officer acknowledges, are students, notwithstanding the inevitable participation of non-students. But there is a lot of money going to colleges and universities, influencing both curricula and the selection of students and professors. In the Republican Party, there is a "Make America Great Again" movement. On many of our most influential college campuses, there is a Make the Middle East Great Again movement which threatens academic freedom and national security. And Israel need not apply
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