NYPD Reveals Details About the 'Professional' Pro-Hamas Agitators Popping Up on Campuses

Sarah Arnold reporting for Townhall 

New York Police Department Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard is revealing details of who is behind the pro-Hamas college protests terrorizing Jewish communities. 

Sheppard toldFox News's Neil Cavuto that the NYPD is “very confident” the pro-terrorism agitators are outside professionals who are being flown in from “around the world” to cause chaos at universities. 

He said that the pro-Hamas agitators are funded by private individuals who target and manipulate young, impressionable students to join radical protests that make them feel seen and a part of a group. 

“They may just fly in for a day or two, and leave,” Sheppard said, adding that the professional agitators often “travel around the country” to ignite protests and then leave. 

The NYPD revealed that just 29 percent of the people arrested at Columbia University’s pro-terrorism protests were “not affiliated” with the school— not students, teachers, or staff. They also said that 60 percent of the arrests they made at City College of New York (CCNY) were not students, but “outside agitators.” 

The figures come as more than 2,200 people at university protests in 43 different locations have been arrested in the past week for participating in pro-Hamas chaos that has caused tension and unrest on various college campuses nationwide. 

The Biden White House has refused to say whether they will launch an investigation into the protests. Sheppard also said the Biden Department of Justice (DOJ) has been silent on the issue despite a lawsuit filed this week claiming that several pro-terrorism organizations are promoting the same violence that Hamas carried out in Israel on Oct. 7. 

Citing pamphlets found on campuses, NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry said “There is somebody funding this. There is somebody radicalizing our students.” 

According to the NYPD, 80 of the 112 people arrested at Columbia University on Tuesday were students, and 68 of the 170 protestors arrested at CCNY were students. 

This means that more than half of the people arrested at the pro-Hamas protests at New York universities were not affiliated with the institutions. 

The pro-terrorism protestors are ramping up their demands, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza by announcing a hunger strike at Princeton University in New Jersey. 

President Joe Biden has resisted calls from Republican lawmakers who want universities to take action and deploy National Guard troops to disperse the protests. However, the president said that would only cause further chaos.