New York, NY, USA - April 30, 2024

New York City police officers were seen on body-worn camera footage forcibly entering a Columbia University building this week to disperse anti-Israel protesters who had taken over the premises.

The video captures the moment NYPD officers, clad in protective gear, breached Hamilton Hall on Tuesday night, where demonstrators had barricaded themselves inside.

Outside the building, protesters could be heard chanting, "We shall not be moved," as officers advanced towards the entrance.

According to NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard, many of the protesters were not university students but rather outside agitators. He described them as "professionals" who travel across the country for such demonstrations, often influencing passionate but impressionable students.

The bodycam footage reveals officers using tools to open the front door, which had been blocked from the inside with stacked chairs. Inside, they encountered makeshift barriers constructed from furniture, requiring saws to penetrate. Protesters outside continued their chants in support of Palestine.

Amid the operation, an officer mentioned deploying a flashbang grenade, followed by loud bangs. After breaching the barrier, officers located and detained protesters inside a room.