Around 15 hours after students set up the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” in Gould Plaza, and only two hours after the New York City Police Department arrested dozens of protesters, NYU president Linda Mills criticized what she called “disorderly, disruptive and antagonizing behavior” at the encampment in a universitywide email.

Mills, who sent the email at around 10:30 p.m. Monday, said protesters — many of whom she said did not appear to be affiliated with NYU — “breached the barriers” outside Gould Plaza “in violation of directions” from Campus Safety and the university. In the email, also signed by Campus Safety head Fountain Walker, Mills said NYU had “immediately closed access” to the plaza after the encampment was set up in order “to maintain safety.” 

“While academic freedom and the free exchange of ideas are and always will be bedrock principles on NYU’s campus, hate, disruption and intimidation can never be countenanced,” Mills wrote. 

As the encampment continued through the afternoon on Monday, Walker advised protesters to leave the plaza by 4 p.m. to avoid facing consequences. At around 8:30 p.m., NYPD officers swept the encampment, authorized by NYU. A group of around 100 protesters has continued demonstration outside NYPD headquarters downtown to support those who were arrested. 

In the email, Mills also said the university “learned that there were intimidating chants and several antisemitic incidents reported.” She said that NYU “asked for assistance from the NYPD” due to “safety issues raised by the breach.” Mills said that police urged those at the plaza to leave peacefully before proceeding to clear the encampment. 

“The university was deeply disturbed when, early this afternoon, additional protesters — many of whom we believe are not affiliated with the university — suddenly breached the barriers that had been put in place at the north side of the plaza and joined the others already on the plaza,” Mills wrote. “That illustrated how quickly a demonstration can get out of control, raising the possibility of people getting hurt.”

Contact Yezen Saadah at [email protected].