Campus Alert Archive
Brooklyn College

Brooklyn College Calls In NYPD Strategic Response Group on East Quad Encampment

NYcivil unrestadvisoryhigh confidence
Confirmed Threat

On the afternoon of May 8, 2025, Brooklyn College students and CUNY supporters erected an encampment on the East Quad protesting Israel's military campaign in Gaza. After the demonstrators ignored requests to remove tents, the college called in the NYPD's Strategic Response Group and an estimated 70-80 riot police mobilized off-campus. At least 14 protesters were arrested in clashes near the Tanger Hillel House, with charges of disorderly conduct and trespassing.

Alerts
3
Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
Brooklyn College, City University of New York
Public Masters · NY
~14,000 studentsCUNY Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction432 chars
Dear Brooklyn College Community, Tents and structures have been erected on the East Quad in violation of college policy. Demonstrators have been asked repeatedly to remove the tents, but have not complied. Out of an abundance of caution, please avoid the East Quad area at this time. The college continues to support free expression while enforcing the policies that keep our campus safe and accessible for all. Updates will follow.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from PSC-CUNY's account that demonstrators had erected tents in violation of college policy and ignored repeated requests to remove them
The framing of 'free expression while enforcing policies' echoes language used by Columbia and other CUNY administrators during the spring 2024-2025 encampment wave
Brooklyn College's East Quad is the main green space at the center of the Midwood, Brooklyn campus
UPDATEEmail
Approximate reconstruction411 chars
Brooklyn College Public Safety Update: The New York City Police Department has been requested on campus to assist with the removal of unauthorized structures from the East Quad. Police activity is now underway. Avoid the East Quad and the area around Tanger Hillel House. Faculty and staff should remain in place where safe to do so. Students living on campus or commuting should follow Public Safety direction.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from CBS New York and JTA reporting that Brooklyn College called in the NYPD Strategic Response Group, the same militarized unit deployed at Columbia and CCNY in 2024
Confrontations between police and demonstrators concentrated near the Tanger Hillel House, the campus center for Jewish life
At least 14 protesters were arrested with charges of disorderly conduct and trespassing
FOLLOW-UPEmail
Verified verbatimPresident Michelle J. Anderson's May 9, 2025 letter to the Brooklyn College community (excerpts reproduced in The Brooklyn College Vanguard and PSC-CUNY's analysis)528 chars
CUNY has a zero-tolerance policy for encampments. The Brooklyn College Events Protocol states that 'semi-permanent, or permanent structures – such as stages, booths, canopies, tents, bouncy houses or other party rentals, or any constructions – are prohibited unless an organization obtains explicit permission.' Protesters here had no permission to erect tents on the East Quad. Protestors re-erected their tents, despite being instructed to dismantle them, remove them from campus, and disperse repeatedly by college officials.
President Michelle J. Anderson sent this email to the Brooklyn College community on May 9, 2025 — the day after the NYPD Strategic Response Group cleared the East Quad encampment
Anderson cited CUNY's 'zero-tolerance policy for encampments' and the Brooklyn College Events Protocol's prohibition on tents and unauthorized structures
PSC-CUNY (the faculty union) issued a statement the same day condemning the NYPD deployment and calling Anderson's framing of the encampment a violation of academic freedom
Context

Background

Brooklyn College's East Quad became one of several CUNY flashpoints during the spring 2025 wave of pro-Palestinian campus protests that followed the Columbia University Butler Library takeover earlier that week. On the afternoon of May 8, 2025, demonstrators erected tents on the East Quad, in violation of college policy. The college first issued an avoid-area communication, then asked the NYPD on campus when demonstrators refused to remove the tents. The Strategic Response Group — NYPD's riot squad — mobilized off-campus, and clashes broke out near the Tanger Hillel House. At least 14 people were arrested. The case is part of a one-year arc of CUNY responses to encampments that began with the April 30, 2024 NYPD raid on the City College encampment and continued through 2025, raising recurring questions about how Clery 'advisory' communications differ from law-enforcement coordination during civil-disturbance events.
Outcome
At least 14 protesters were arrested. The encampment was cleared. Brooklyn College resumed normal operations. Students arrested were charged with disorderly conduct and trespassing.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    PSC Statement on the Events of May 8 at Brooklyn College (PSC-CUNY)
    psc-cuny.org
  2. News
    Brooklyn College protest ends with more than a dozen in custody (CBS New York)
    cbsnews.com
  3. News
    Police clash with pro-Palestinian protesters in Brooklyn (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
    jta.org
  4. News
    Students and Faculty Stand Together at Brooklyn College (Left Voice)
    leftvoice.org
  5. Official
    Emergency Management Guide (Brooklyn College)
    brooklyn.cuny.edu
Tags
civil-unrestprotestencampmentcunybrooklynnew-yorkpublic-mastersnypdstrategic-response-grouppro-palestiniantanger-hillel
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion