Pro-Palestine protesters stormed The Cooper Union Library in New York on Wednesday (October 25) as the issue surrounding the Israel-Hamas War escalated.
It was reported that protesters were pounding on the door and shouting "Free Palestine" and other pro-Palestine chants while Jewish students were inside the library. Several social media accounts have recorded or snapped videos or photos of the demonstration.
In particular, both the New York Times and the New York Post reported that the protesters also banged the large glass window overlooking the library's interior.
Students representing the pro-Palestine rally provided a statement to CBS New York that they planned to "peacefully protest outside the building" before walking in and continuing their protest outside the president's office. They also insisted that many different students of all backgrounds were in the library by the time of their rally.
"We would like to make it clear that our protest was not targeting any individual students or faculty, but the institution itself," the protesters wrote. "We would like to reiterate that we do not under any circumstance condone antisemitism and many members of the protest were Jewish."
Jewish students inside the Cooper Union library were encouraged to hide by a staff member trying to help as pro-Palestinian protesters banged on the doors and windows.
— Louis Keene (@thislouis) October 26, 2023
Security was nowhere to be found. The school did not answer questions.https://t.co/BNGPl3NRKL
Jews Inside Library, Public Officials Expressed Concern
Pro-Israel and Jewish Cooper Union students told reporters that school staff locked them inside the library due to safety concerns. It was reported that some of them also participated in a counter-demonstration earlier that day, which featured enlarged signs of some of the Hamas hostages.
"It was tense. People were nervous," one student said. "They were specifically acting very aggressively in those spaces where outwardly Jewish students were sitting."
However, the New York Police Department (NYPD) stated that they were at the scene during the whole protest and its officers safely escorted the Jewish students from the library. There were also no injuries, arrests, or property damage in the planned demonstration, the NYPD added.
In response, both New York Mayor Eric Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed disappointment over the protest.
