NYPD ripped down Palestinian flag at City College and hoisted Old Glory - as cops arrest pro-Palestinian protesters who smashed their way into Columbia University building

New York City cops ripped down a Palestine flag that had been hoisted above City College and replaced it with the American flag, after officers arrested nearly 300 people in a night of chaos on campuses throughout the city. 

The NYPD's deputy commissioner for operations Kaz Daughtry called it a 'proud moment' as the officers raised Old Glory on the Harlem campus. 

Footage taken on the ground shows one officer tossing the flag aside before raising the Star-Spangled Banner on the flagpole. 

173 people were arrested from City College, in Harlem, while 119 were arrested at Columbia on charges of trespassing, criminal mischief and burglary. 

Hundreds of officers stormed Columbia, with officers going through an upstairs window of Hamilton Hall, after students barricaded themselves inside.

Protestors, many of whom covered their faces with masks or keffiyehs, were then marched out unmasked and loaded onto three awaiting NYPD buses. 

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday morning, Mayor Eric Adams berated the schools for allowing the flying of the flag. 

Footage taken on the ground shows one officer tossing the flag aside before later raising Old Glory on the flagpole

Protestors at City College had raised a Palestine flag on the campus, which officers last night replaced with the stars and stripes

NYPD cops dressed in riot gear stormed through the window of a Columbia University building occupied by dozens of pro-Palestine protesters to begin clearing them out

He said: 'That's our flag folks, it might be fine to some people but not to me. My uncle died defending this country.

'It's despicable that schools will allow another country's flag to fly in our country. So blame me for being proud to be American. We are not surrendering our way of life.'

Adams also blamed 'outside agitators' for 'training and co-opting' what was a peaceful protest and turning it into something potentially violent. 

Mayor Adams later told CBS Mornings: 'Once the Columbia University team and leadership in their letter acknowledging that outside agitators were on their campus grounds, we looked at our intel and information.

'I was briefed by the intelligence division and they were able to identify organizations and individuals who were not students but were professional agitators. 

'We realized after the breaking into Hamilton Hall, some of the tactics, some of the methods, these are clearly being used across the globe and we understood how really dangerous this situation had become.'

Adams said that one person identified by authorities was 'married to someone that was arrested for terrorism' but would not elaborate further when questioned. 

During a press conference, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban showed off one of the chains used to secure Hamilton Hall, saying it explained why it was necessary for police to storm the building. 

In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon directed at the University community, President Shafik praised the NYPD. 

Shafik said: 'Early Tuesday morning, tensions on our campus rose to new heights when a small group of protestors broke into Hamilton Hall, barricaded themselves inside, and occupied it throughout the day. 

'This drastic escalation of many months of protest activity pushed the University to the brink, creating a disruptive environment for everyone and raising safety risks to an intolerable level.

'I made the decision to ask the New York City Police Department to intervene to end the occupation of Hamilton Hall and dismantle the main encampment along with a new, smaller encampment. 

'These actions were completed Tuesday night, and I thank the NYPD for their incredible professionalism and support.'

NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban, right, and Mayor Eric Adams, left, appear at a press conference as Caban holds up chains and a lock removed by officers during their operation to clear protestors from Columbia University

173 people were arrested from City College, in Harlem, while 119 were arrested at Columbia on charges of trespassing, criminal mischief and burglary 

Protestors, many of whom covered their faces with masks or keffiyehs, were marched out unmasked and loaded onto three awaiting NYPD buses

Hundreds of officers stormed the campus, with officers going through an upstairs window at the historic building, after students barricaded the entrance

NYPD bus carries arrested students at Columbia University in New York City on April 30

Police said that between 40 and 50 of those arrested at Columbia had been inside the occupied building on the campus. 

Footage taken last night shows lines of protestors lined up with handcuffs as officers in riot gear escort them onto awaiting transport. 

As the buses left the scene crowds that had gathered to watch cheered as the protestors were finally led away from the university. 

The NYPD said that those who occupied Hamilton Hall would be charged with third-degree burglary, criminal mischief and trespassing. 

Those who had been camped out on the lawn at the university meanwhile would face trespassing and disorderly conduct charges. 

Even though the crowds have now been dispersed a police presence would remain for a further two weeks. 

Former President Donald Trump told a group of his supporters in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on Wednesday: 'It was a beautiful thing to watch. New York’s finest. 

'You saw them go up in ladders, they’re breaking the windows and getting in and that’s dangerous. And they went in, they knocked it out and they were incredible.'

In a post to Truth Social hours before, he also said: 'New York City's Finest have been incredible—it’s not over yet, but the way they walked in, they were not afraid of anything.'

Pictures and video taken of the aftermath show the hall's trashed interior strewn with activists' belongings.

Pictures show how chairs and desks had been turned upside down to become makeshift barriers inside Hamilton Hall. The cost of damage to the building is likely to total thousands of dollars.

The occupation followed weeks of unrest at Columbia, which began with the establishment of the encampment on April 17.

Protesters set up tents after Shafik was grilled before Congress about anti-Semitism on campus.

They repeatedly ignored calls to disband, with the demonstrations ramping up early Tuesday with the violent takeover of Hamilton Hall.

After two weeks of chaos, which saw classes moved online and facilities shuttered, Shafik finally called in the police who managed to clear out the campus in just two hours.

The NYPD announced that it had cleared the building just before 11pm with no injuries.

Hours earlier, video showed cops sporting riot gear descending on the campus armed with zip-tie handcuffs and pepper spray.

Until Tuesday, Shafik had held off asking police to intervene following backlash to the decision to use law enforcement to disperse a previous encampment.

However, the decision to call the NYPD was taken after the increasingly violent tactics and concerns the protest had been infiltrated by 'outside agitators' with no ties to the university.

Police use a vehicle named 'the bear' to enter Hamilton Hall from a public street, which was occupied by protesters, as other officers enter the campus of Columbia University

NYPD riot cops released dramatic video showing the moment they stormed Columbia University's occupied Hamilton Hall

Images and video showed extensive damage to Hamilton Hall after protesters were evicted on Tuesday night

Columbia University protesters smashed windows, upended furniture and caused damage throughout Hamilton Hall amid their brief occupation

In a statement, the university said the decision to call in police was, 'made to restore safety and order to our community'.

'We regret that protesters have chosen to escalate the situation through their actions,' the statement read.

'After the University learned overnight that Hamilton Hall had been occupied, vandalized, and blockaded, we were left with no choice.

'Columbia public safety personnel were forced out of the building, and a member of our facilities team was threatened. We will not risk the safety of our community or the potential for further escalation.'

Protesters have been demanding the college divest from companies with links to Israel or firms profiting from its war on Hamas.

They have taken inspiration from previous student-led protests, such as the successful 1985 campaign to get the university to divest from South Africa 's apartheid regime.

NYPD officers arrive in riot gear to evict a building that had been barricaded by pro-Palestinian student protesters at Columbia University

Windows were left shattered and furniture over turned as protesters used the office supplies to create makeshift barriers

Members of the NYPD prepared to enter Columbia University campus after protestors took over Hamilton Hall overnight yesterday

Members of the NYPD surround and breach Hamilton Hall where demonstrators barricaded themselves inside on the Columbia University campus on April 30, 2024 in New York City

Shafik has so far rejected calls for an Israeli divestment, but said the issue could be reviewed by the school's Advisory Committee for Socially Responsible Investing.

However, the offer was deemed insufficient by the protesters and the demonstrations went ahead.

The clearing of the demonstrations is by no means the end of the problems being faced by the beleaguered Shafik.

Shortly after police began their raid, her own faculty released a statement condemning the decision and blaming her administration for allowing tensions to reach a boiling point.

Many Jewish students and their supporters are angry that it took so long for officials to crack down on the protests amid allegations of anti-Semitism.

The demonstrations also came at a time when many students were cramming for finals, causing maximum disruption.

Police were first called to Columbia on April 18 and made more than 100 arrests.

However, a new encampment soon sprouted up to replace it which remained for a further two weeks. Similar demonstrations cropped at other universities across the country, which have also since been shut down.

Protestors and students face off with the NYPD at Columbia University. SWAT MRAP approaches Hamilton hall

Cops were armed with zip ties and pepper spray as they stormed the campus at around 9.3-pm on Tuesday

The police operation was concluded within around two hours of cops storming the campus

Columbia President Minouche Shafik called in the NYPD in to 'restore order and safety' to the campus amid the escalating protests which also included a massive encampment at the school

Officers with the New York Police Department raid the encampment by pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University on Tuesday

At the same time police were flooding Columbia, they were also pouring onto another campus in the Big Apple.

Protesters threw flares and barricaded themselves inside an administrative building at the City University of New York, about 20 blocks north of Columbia University.

NYPD officers moved in after 9.30pm to disperse crowds outside as flares turned the college's famous arch red and protestors chanted and waved flags in support of Gaza.

At a press conference before the raids, NYPD Assistant Commissioner Rebecca Weiner warned the protest had been co-opted by external agitators who were not affiliated with the university.

She stressed the occupation had the potential to spill into other campus buildings, as well as other universities across the country.

'This is not about what's happening overseas, it's not about the last seven months, it's about a very different commitment to at times violent protest activity as an occupation,' she said.

'They haven't got a right to be on campus and this violates university polices and most importantly, presents a danger to students and the university and communities.

'When we see what we saw last night, we think these tactics are a result of guidance being given to students from these external actors.'