Most Columbia Students Who Occupied Administrative Building Had Their Charges Dropped

Of the 46 pro-Palestinian protesters who occupied Columbia University's Hamilton Hall during the April demonstrations, 31 had the charges against them dropped.

The charges were dismissed for "lack of evidence." Prosecutors had agreed to drop the charges on the 15 other protesters if they stayed out of trouble for six months. But they want to go to court and perform, so they turned down the offer of clemency and the judge scheduled their next court date for July 25.

The protesters arrested at Hamilton Hall were charged with trespassing, but their lack of criminal history and the “extremely limited video and security footage” available to prosecutors made investigating the crime too difficult, according to Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Stephen Millan.

What about the vandalism? Hamilton Hall was well and truly trashed. What about the threats and assaults on Jewish students? No arrests have been made, much less crimes prosecuted.

NBC News:

At a news conference after the hearing, some of them, flanked by supporters, said they rejected the prosecutors’ conditional dismissal to show solidarity with those facing the most extreme repression across the pro-Palestinian movement.

During the court appearances Thursday afternoon, a prosecutor said the defendants do not have criminal histories and that they will face internal disciplinary proceedings at Columbia.

A Columbia University official said the disciplinary process is ongoing but declined to comment further.

"All these matters are dismissed and sealed in the interest of justice," Judge Kevin McGrath announced in the courtroom.

I'm sure there was a snicker or two from the protesters. Who is the DA trying to kid?

The reason there was no video evidence of vandalism or assaults on police officers is that the protesters wore masks and disabled or covered all the security cameras in the building. That's a crime, too, but who's counting?

"The Office is continuing to pursue cases from both campuses, including all assaults against police officers," the DA's office said in a statement to Fox News Digital, referring to Columbia and the City University of New York. "There are ongoing school disciplinary proceedings for the students who had their case dismissed."

One non-Columbia student protester, James Carlson, had two open cases against him, including burning an Israeli flag.

In the downtown courtroom, some of the defendants wore face masks and some wore kaffiyehs, which are distinctly patterned Palestinian scarves. At least two wore sunglasses.

As the hearings began, police confiscated what appeared to be a protest sign found under one of the seats.

When a prosecutor told the court that Carlson was accused of burning an Israeli flag, some of the defendants seated in the room could be heard snickering. A police officer instructed them to be quiet.

The protesters were decidedly ungrateful for the DA's actions. Instead, they saw a "classist" conspiracy.

"The state has attempted once again to divide us, dismissing some of our cases and offering others deals in accordance with their outside agitator narrative," one student said. "As ever, we categorically reject this division as one drawn along arbitrary, classist lines meant to preserve the sanctity of Columbia University, not an institution in the city of New York, but always above and apart from it."

Sheesh.