It's not exactly the Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima, but it was damned satisfying to watch.
Pro-Palestinian protesters at the City College of New York had removed the American flag from the flagpole at the start of their protests two weeks ago and raised the Palestinian flag. After the NYPD swarmed the CUNY campus and began arresting dozens of protesters, several cops began to take down the Palestinian flag.
They were none too gentle about it either.
Then, NYPD Deputy Commissioner, Operations Kaz Daughtry and several other officers raised the American flag.
#HAPPENINGNOW: An incredible scene and proud moment as we have assisted @CityCollegeNY in restoring order on campus, culminating in raising Old Glory once again on their campus flagpole. 🇺🇸@NYPDPC @NYPD1stDep @NYPDChiefOfDept @NYPDChiefPatrol @NYPDnews pic.twitter.com/XZWFmvXcUs
— NYPD Deputy Commissioner, Operations Kaz Daughtry (@NYPDDaughtry) May 1, 2024
Another uplifting scene occurred at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when students took down the Palestinian colors and hoisted old glory.
New York Mayor Eric Adams went off on those who had flown the Palestinian flag at CUNY and Columbia.
"That's our flag, folks. You don't take over our buildings and put another flag up. It may be fine to other people, but it's not to me."
"My uncle died defending this country, and these men and women put their lives on the line," Adams continued. "So blame me for being proud to be an American. I thank [the NYPD] for putting that flag back up. We are not surrendering our way of life to anyone."
CCNY President Vincent Boudreau announced that as of May 1, all classes would be online until further notice.
"Students have a right to demonstrate peacefully and exercise their First Amendment rights," CUNY said in a statement. "Tonight's actions were taken in response to specific and repeated acts of violence and vandalism, not in response to peaceful protest. CUNY will continue working to keep our community free from violence, intimidation and harassment."
The statement also included the reasons for calling in the NYPD in the first place.
"This includes a fire Sunday night at the Marshak Science Building caused by the use of a flare gun that brought FDNY to campus, clashes with public safety, an attempted break-in at Shepard Hall tonight, and a break-in at the Administration Building tonight that included the vandalizing of offices and smashing glass doors."
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.
Related: Democrats in Full Panic Mode Over Anti-Israel Protests
The protesters and their apologists keep insisting that there are no "outside agitators," and that the nationwide protests sprang up completely on their own as a reaction to the war in Gaza.
If you believe that, I got a bridge over the Chicago River I can let you have for a song.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member