NYPD detains 80 'pro-Hamas thugs' accused of Columbia library takeover as Rubio targets visas



The New York Police Department detained dozens of protesters who allegedly took over Columbia University's Butler Library at the school's Morningside Heights campus on Wednesday.

According to the New York Post, the roughly five-hour-long protest left two school safety officers injured. Footage appeared to show the anti-Israel mob shoving a security guard to force their way into the library's front entrance, interrupting students inside studying.

'Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation.'

The masked protesters shouted, "Free, free Palestine," and placed signs over bookshelves, with one declaring the space a "liberated zone." The rioters also spray-painted the walls of the library and hung Palestinian flags.

A defaced glass case read, "Columbia will burn 4 the martyrs," according to a photo shared on social media.

Acting Columbia President Claire Shipman stated that officials believed that some of the protesters were not affiliated with the school.

In a Wednesday statement, Shipman said, "The individuals who disrupted activities in Butler Reading Room 301 still refuse to identify themselves and leave the building. Due to the number of individuals participating in the disruption inside and outside of the building, a large group of people attempting to force their way into Butler Library creating a safety hazard, and what we believe to be the significant presence of individuals not affiliated with the University, Columbia has taken the necessary step of requesting the presence of NYPD to assist in securing the building and the safety of our community."

She declared that such disruptions "will not be tolerated."

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) responded to Wednesday's demonstration.

"At the written request of Columbia University, the NYPD is entering the campus to remove individuals who are trespassing. We will not tolerate hate or violence in any form in our city," Adams said. "To Jewish New Yorkers, especially the students at Columbia who feel threatened or unsafe attending class because of these events: know that your mayor stands with you and will always work to keep you safe."

The NYPD told the Daily Signal that it made 80 arrests. However, as of Thursday morning, no charges had been brought against the campus disruptors, the department said.

Columbia University released another statement on Thursday, notifying students that the library had reopened.

Jewish Community Relations Council Mark Treyger called the disruptive protest "not normal under any circumstance."

"It is unsafe, unbelievable, and unacceptable to have fully masked strangers barging into learning institutions," Treyger said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to look into the protesters' visa status.

"Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation," Rubio wrote in a post on social media.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) responded to Rubio's post, stating, "Attention pro-Hamas rioters on college campuses across the country: you are on notice. America will no longer tolerate your antisemitic violence, destruction, harassment, and intimidation."

Johnson thanked President Donald Trump and Rubio for cracking down on anti-Semitic violence.

Over the first 100 days of Trump's second term, the administration revoked approximately 4,000 student visas. A senior State Department official previously told the Post that 90% had a "serious" criminal record.

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Teen Tren de Aragua-linked mob ambushes NYPD in another brazen Times Square assault: Report



A group of roughly a dozen young thugs linked to Tren de Aragua reportedly assaulted two New York Police Department officers in Times Square on Friday evening.

The culprits have reportedly been tied to Los Diablos de 42, a young subset of the violent Venezuelan gang TDA. The youngest suspect was just 12 years old.

'Make no mistake, this is not low-level crime, it's organized violence carried out by gang members that we've already taken off the streets for preying on New Yorkers.'

Fox News reported that five of the 11 suspects are illegal aliens from Venezuela. Those individuals have been arrested.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) and NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch detailed the brutal assault during a Tuesday press briefing.

Tisch explained that two officers approached a group of 10 to 12 individuals after they observed the mob surrounding three others.

"The officers engaged the group and attempted to break up what appeared to be a wolfpack-style robbery. Instead, they were ambushed, pelted with scooters, basketballs, and other makeshift weapons. This was a targeted attack, planned, deliberate, and carried out with intent," Tisch stated.

Within hours of the ambush, law enforcement was able to identify some of the suspects as Los Diablos de 42 members, thanks to the city's gang database.

Tisch called the database "one of the most critical tools that we have to protect our cops and to protect our communities." She urged the New York City Council to abandon its efforts to abolish the database.

"We need our City Council to stop legislating against our cops and to start legislating for public safety," Tisch declared.

She noted that all those arrested were "repeat offenders" linked to "citywide robbery patterns."

Tisch also stated that no officers sustained any major injuries.

"Make no mistake, this is not low-level crime, it's organized violence carried out by gang members that we've already taken off the streets for preying on New Yorkers," she added. "And now they're back, ambushing cops in the middle of Times Square. It's not a fluke, it's a system failure. It's what happens when repeat offenders are allowed to cycle through arrest after arrest without meaningful accountability. It's what happens when there are no real consequences."

Adams emphasized that such violence would not be tolerated.

"It's horrific enough to be a victim of a crime, but when someone openly assaults a police officer, you are attacking our symbol of safety, and it cannot be tolerated," he said.

However, New York City's sanctuary policies continue to shield illegal aliens from federal immigration officials.

On Sunday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrived at a NYPD station, where one of the teen suspects was being held, but the agents were turned away.

Tisch stated that the NYPD is "looking into how [ICE] got there."

"I was surprised that ICE was at a precinct because ICE shows up to do civil immigration enforcement. And the NYPD does not participate in civil immigration enforcement. And our officers did a tremendous job," she said.

Tisch added, "They followed a procedure that we had put out in early January, an operations order, that explains exactly what steps they should take in a scenario such as that. And they did not turn over the person that was in custody to those ICE agents at that time."

In January 2024, a mob similarly ambushed NYPD officers in Times Square. Some of those suspects were also linked to TDA.

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Liberals Desperately Looking For Solution To Problem They Created

Liberals have spent decades of time and billions of (your) dollars making the homelessness crisis worse

Federal prosecutors ditch jobs in a huff, refuse to admit wrongdoing in 'flawed' Eric Adams case



Three federal prosecutors with the Southern District of New York resigned in protest on Tuesday. Celia Cohen, Andrew Rohrbach, and Derek Wikstrom quit after accusing the Trump administration's Department of Justice of pressuring them to admit "wrongdoing" in the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D), who pleaded not guilty.

The three prosecutors had been placed on administrative leave after Trump's DOJ requested the case's dismissal.

'Any suggestion to the contrary by anybody, especially former federal prosecutors, is wrong and disingenuous.'

According to an email obtained by the New York Times, the prosecutors claimed that DOJ Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that to be reinstated, they "must express regret and admit some wrongdoing by the office in connection with the refusal to move to dismiss the case."

They wrote, "We will not confess wrongdoing when there was none."

The prosecutors claimed that the DOJ under the Trump administration "has decided that obedience supersedes all else, requiring us to abdicate our legal and ethical obligations in favor of directions from Washington."

"There is no greater privilege than to work for an institution whose mandate is to do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons," the prosecutors continued. "We will not abandon this principle to keep our jobs."

"We resign," they declared.

Jay Clayton, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the SDNY, took over the same day the prosecutors resigned.

Since Trump's DOJ pushed for the dismissal of the case against Adams in February, five SDNY prosecutors have resigned, including the lead prosecutor assigned to the case.

U.S. District Judge Dale Ho dropped the case with prejudice on April 2.

"To be clear, the Court again emphasizes that it does not express any opinion as to the merits of the case or whether the prosecution of Mayor Adams 'should' move forward," he wrote.

"The Court notes only that it has no authority to require that it continue," Ho continued. "Ultimately, because the decision to discontinue a prosecution belongs primarily to a political branch of government, it is the public's judgment, and not this Court's, that truly matters."

However, he claimed the DOJ's request to dismiss the case "smacks of a bargain" between Adams and the Trump administration. Both parties have denied the allegations.

Blanche stated that there "was nothing 'illegal' or 'unethical'" about the DOJ's decision to drop the "flawed" case.

"Any suggestion to the contrary by anybody, especially former federal prosecutors, is wrong and disingenuous," he contended.

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New York City Council sues to shield illegal aliens from ICE's return to Rikers Island



The New York City Council filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against Mayor Eric Adams (D) to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement from returning to Rikers Island.

Last week, Adams' first deputy mayor, Randy Mastro, issued an executive order allowing ICE to occupy office space at Rikers Island, the site of a prison managed by the city's Department of Correction.

'While we will review the lawsuit, this one seems baseless and contrary to the public interest in protecting New Yorkers from violent criminals.'

ICE was previously booted from the area in 2014 after then-Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) formalized New York City's sanctuary policy protecting illegal aliens ultimately at the expense of public safety.

Mastro's action indicated that there is a "critical" need for federal law enforcement officers' presence on the island to enable them to share intelligence with the DOC and the New York Police Department, particularly to curb "criminal gang activity."

The order stated, "The safety of the City of New York has been jeopardized by violent transnational gangs and criminal enterprises — including transnational gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua — that have been designated by federal authorities as foreign terrorist organizations."

"There is historical precedent for federal law enforcement authorities to have office space and personnel on Rikers Island as recently as a decade ago," it read.

Adams' administration noted that ICE's return to Rikers Island would not conflict with the city's sanctuary laws because it allows the agency to coordinate only on criminal investigations and not civil matters.

The council's lawsuit argues that Mastro lacked the authority to issue the order, further citing that he failed to first complete a "meaningful independent analysis."

Additionally, the council claims that the action was tied to an alleged "corrupt bargain" between Adams and the Trump administration to have the criminal case against him dropped. Adams and the White House have denied any allegations of a quid pro quo.

"The 'purchase price' — which was agreed to in advance and is now being proffered — is the safety and well-being of immigrant communities and all New Yorkers whose rights are protected by our city's prized sanctuary law," the lawsuit reads.

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is running against Mayor Adams in the upcoming election, stated, "Once again, this City Council is standing firm to protect the rights and safety of all New Yorkers against attacks by the Trump administration — because the city's mayor won't stop placing his own personal interests ahead of the people of our city."

"New York cannot afford its mayor colluding with the Trump administration to violate the law, and this lawsuit looks to the court to uphold the basic standard of democracy, even if our mayor won't," she added.

Kayla Mamelak Altus, a spokesperson for the mayor, told the Gothamist that Mastro's executive action "is expressly authorized by New York City's local laws — the very laws enacted by the City Council."

She noted that Mastro "independently concluded that a federal presence at Rikers to conduct federal criminal investigations is in New York City's best interest and protects public safety, particularly in our ongoing efforts to target violent transnational gangs now present in our city, including those designated as terrorist organizations."

"While we will review the lawsuit, this one seems baseless and contrary to the public interest in protecting New Yorkers from violent criminals," Mamelak Altus added.

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Latest Democrat Gaslighting Is Laughably Shameless

Perhaps the governor is counting on fluoride-induced short-term memory loss to convince constituents of his authenticity

NYC welcomes ICE back to Rikers Island after lengthy ban



New York City Mayor Eric Adams' (D) administration announced Tuesday that it would reopen Rikers Island to Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a decade-long ban.

ICE previously had an office on the island, the site of a prison managed by the New York City's Department of Correction, but it was ousted after the city formalized its sanctuary policy under former Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) in 2014.

'This is about public safety and protecting all New Yorkers.'

At the time, de Blasio's administration touted how its new bills would "dramatically reduce" the city's cooperation with ICE, including removing law enforcement from "Rikers Islands and all City facilities."

"Mass deportation has not only pulled apart thousands of New York City families, it has also undermined public safety in our communities and imposed disproportionate penalties on immigrant parents and spouses who these families depend on for emotional and financial support," de Blasio stated.

On Tuesday evening, First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro issued an executive order calling for ICE's return to Rikers Island, citing a "critical" need for federal law enforcement agencies to have the ability to share "real-time" intelligence with the DOC and the New York Police Department, particularly regarding "criminal gang activity."

"The safety of the City of New York has been jeopardized by violent transnational gangs and criminal enterprises — including transnational gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua — that have been designated by federal authorities as foreign terrorist organizations," the EO read.

"There is historical precedent for federal law enforcement authorities to have office space and personnel on Rikers Island as recently as a decade ago," it added.

The invitation to occupy office space at Rikers Island was also extended to other federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Mastro stated, "Today, I have entered an executive order to re-establish a federal law enforcement office space at Rikers Island solely for criminal investigations, consistent with New York City law, after Mayor Adams delegated all powers and responsibilities related to this topic to me. This directive is driven by one priority and one priority alone: to keep all New Yorkers safe."

He explained that he made the decision after conducting "an independent assessment of the facts and law."

Mastro stated that the new executive action does not conflict with the city's existing sanctuary laws.

"Again, this executive order is expressly limited to establishing office space and coordinating with federal law enforcement on criminal investigations, not civil matters," Mastro continued. "This is about public safety and protecting all New Yorkers."

Adams' office said safety and transparency are among the mayor's top priorities.

"To maintain trust among the nearly 8.5 million New Yorkers who our administration serves every day, Mayor Adams has delegated all powers and responsibilities related to any executive order to authorize federal officials to investigate potential criminal immigration violations at Rikers Island to First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro," the statement read. "The first deputy mayor has visited Rikers multiple times over the last week, has consulted with DOC and law enforcement officials, is reviewing the city's options, and would ultimately sign any executive order that he determines to be appropriate."

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NYC to return another $106M in FEMA cash as Trump ends illegal immigration spending



The Trump administration’s Federal Emergency Management Agency has warned New York City that it plans this month to take back another $106 million in federal funds that the city received under former President Joe Biden to address the ongoing illegal immigration crisis.

In February, President Donald Trump demanded that New York City return more than $80 million in immigration-related funding. The action prompted Mayor Eric Adams (D) to take legal action against the administration, which remains ongoing.

'The Department, consistent with President Trump’s direction, is focused on advancing the essential mission of enforcing immigration laws and securing the border.'

“Like their previous actions clawing back appropriated funds, these steps are unlawful, and the New York City Law Department is currently determining the best legal recourse to take to ensure that this money remains in New York City, where it was allocated and belongs,” Adams stated.

“As I have repeatedly said, New York City did not create this crisis — it was caused by decades of federal inaction and failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform,” he added.

Adams has contended that the city’s taxpayers alone should not have to bear the burden of the immigration crisis created by the Biden administration. He called the FEMA funds “the bare minimum our taxpayers deserve.”

“With minimal help from the federal government, our administration has skillfully managed an unprecedented migrant crisis, during which more than 234,000 people have entered our city seeking shelter, costing taxpayers over $7.5 billion in just three years,” Adams said.

In the court filing, Adams claimed the move had “no lawful grounds,” demanding that it be reversed and the administration be prevented from conducting further “unlawful money grabs in the future.”

Adams stated that he will take further legal action against the administration’s latest attempt to recoup another $106 million. According to the New York Times, the funds have already been spent.

Early this month, a judge dropped the federal corruption case against Adams, allowing him to turn his attention to his re-election campaign, where he faces several challengers.

On April 1, FEMA informed the city that it would terminate immigration-related grants totaling $188 million.

Cameron Hamilton, FEMA acting administrator, stated that the funding is “not consistent” with Trump’s mission to clamp down on illegal immigration and secure the border.

“The Department, consistent with President Trump’s direction, is focused on advancing the essential mission of enforcing immigration laws and securing the border,” Hamilton stated.

“Consequently, grant programs that support, or have the potential to support, illegal immigration through funding illegal activities or support illegal aliens that is not consistent with DHS’s enforcement focus do not effectuate the agency’s current practices,” he said.

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NYC Mayor Adams ditches Dem primary, then takes aim at the 'deep state'



New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, announced on Thursday that he will not seek the party's nomination but will run his re-election campaign as an independent candidate.

Adams, who rarely posts on his personal X account, shared a video announcing his decision. The announcement stood in sharp contrast to his two most recent prior posts from the summer of 2024, when he had voiced support for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election.

'I have never seen anyone do such a good job of defining that deep state.'

Just a few months later, Adams was effectively on the outs with Democrats, facing a federal corruption lawsuit shortly after he criticized the Biden administration for fueling the nation's illegal immigration crisis.

Adams wrote on Thursday, "I have always put New York's people before politics and party—and I always will. I am running for mayor in the general election because our city needs independent leadership that understands working people."

In his six-minute video, Adams discussed the grit of New Yorkers, the "bogus case" against him, and the other mayoral candidates.

— (@)

While he stood by his decision to call out the Biden administration for its immigration failures, he stopped short of severing ties with the Democratic Party.

"Some leaders choose rhetoric over results and fail to make working people their North Star. But the values of the working-class base — pro-public safety, pro-worker, pro-quality of life — are still there standing strong even if many who share them have left the party," he stated. "I had hoped to fight for them again in a Democratic primary for mayor."

"But the dismissal of the bogus case against me dragged on too long, making it impossible to mount a primary campaign while these false accusations were held over me," Adams continued. "Though I am still a Democrat, I am announcing that I will forego the Democratic primary for mayor and appeal directly to all New Yorkers as an independent candidate in the general election."

Adams acknowledged that the accusations against him in the corruption case "may have shaken" New Yorkers' confidence in him. He maintained his innocence, but expressed regret for "trust[ing] people I should not have."

He slammed his opponents without naming any mayoral candidates specifically.

"Some were advocating against more police, even if they are for them now," Adams said. "Some were fighting the pro-growth strategies of our administration. Some even sought to limit housing production. Some voted to give more of your tax dollars to other cities and towns in this state while refusing to change laws that let dangerous criminals run wild on our streets. And some sat at home and did absolutely nothing."

The mayor boasted his administration's record on housing, crime reduction, job creation, and benefit disbursements for low-income New Yorkers.

Adams admitted that he made mistakes.

"But it was not a mistake to invest more in housing than any other mayor. It wasn't a mistake to put a cop on every train. It wasn't a mistake to increase the value of housing vouchers and earn income tax credit to the highest levels ever," he stated.

"And it wasn't a mistake to put politics aside, defy my party when needed, and speak for the voice of working New Yorkers," Adams declared.

'Trump derangement syndrome is real.'

On Wednesday, the same day the indictment against Adams was dropped, comedian Andrew Schulz released a new episode of his podcast, "Flagrant," featuring an interview with the mayor. The two spoke about New York City's immigration crisis, Adams' decision to criticize the Biden administration, and the accusations against him.

Adams encouraged Schulz to read FBI Director Kash Patel's book, "Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy."

Schulz asked, "Is this what people refer to — and I think this word has been used too much, but the 'deep state,' or whatever it is?"

"It's not used too much," Adams responded. "It's real, brother."

"I have never seen anyone do such a good job of defining that deep state," he continued, referring to Patel. "You should have him on your show."

When asked whether legal immigrants should be afraid under the Trump administration, Adams responded by torching those on the left who have spread false rumors that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has targeted individuals with legal status.

"When I'm moving around my immigrant communities, and they share with me, 'We're afraid. We're afraid to go to school, work, church, etc.' Why are they afraid?" Adams asked. "The activists who love this hysteria are giving the impression that all the sudden ICE is going into our schools and taking our children, going into hospitals — that's just not true."

He declared that "Trump derangement syndrome is real" and expressed disappointment that the Department of Government Efficiency's efforts to root out waste and fraud had become politicized by the president's critics.

Adams also blasted the Biden administration for placing parents on the FBI watchlist for being concerned about what their children were being taught in public schools.

"I'm telling you, read Kash's book," he told Schulz.

One source close to Adams told the New York Post, "Now that this case is gone and he's running in the general, you're going to see a very 'f*** you' mentality from him."

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Eric Adams Quits Dem Primary, Will Seek Reelection as 'Uninhibited' Independent

New York City mayor Eric Adams will leave the Democratic primary and run for reelection as an independent, as internal tensions and a broader identity crisis roil the Democratic Party.

The post Eric Adams Quits Dem Primary, Will Seek Reelection as 'Uninhibited' Independent appeared first on .