https://www.newsweek.com/new-york-city-radicalization-warning-pro-palestinian-protests-1896115
New York City officials warned of “radicalization” infiltrating the city amid ongoing pro-Palestinian protests at different college campuses, including Columbia University in Manhattan.
During a press conference on Wednesday, New York Police Department (NYPD) Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner said that there is “a concern around radicalization” in the city. She stopped short of calling it “homegrown terrorism” but said officials were seeing a concerning “trajectory” among young people.
Mayor Eric Adams made similar comments during the press conference, saying, “There is a movement to radicalize young people, and I'm not going to wait until it's done and all of a sudden acknowledge the existence of it.”
“This is a global problem that young people are being influenced by those who are professionals at radicalizing our children and I'm not going to allow that to happen as the mayor of the city of New York,” Adams added.
Newsweek reached out to the NYPD and Columbia University via email for comment.
On Tuesday evening, NYPD officers conducted an operation to respond to the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” at Columbia University, after pro-Palestinian protesters breached an academic building and barricaded themselves inside. Over 100 people were arrested.