Identity of Speakers
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Independent Journalists
Unaffiliated
OtherNeil Constantine, Jon Farina, Michael Nigro, and Madison Swart
Resources
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Rally or protest
Other
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Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
Campus police
Other Law Enforcement
Other
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Incident Status:
No litigation
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
On May 8, 2025, around 30 pro‑Palestinian students organized a peaceful encampment on Brooklyn College’s East Quad, setting up tents and waving flags to demand divestment and draw attention to Gaza. The campus public safety team initially tried to dismantle the encampment, but when faculty and students linked arms to defend it, the NYPD was called in.
Shortly before 6 p.m., the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group cleared the quad and escorted protesters off campus, directing them onto Bedford Avenue. While the demonstration remained mostly calm, officers made several arrests outside the gates. One student was tased, another was punched, and a dozen–fourteen people in total—were taken into custody (with seven formally arrested and seven issued summonses).
In response to the press exclusion, four independent journalists who were blocked from covering the encampment have submitted a notice of intent to sue Brooklyn College and CUNY. They argue that by denying them access to a public event on a public college campus, the college violated Press Clause protections under the First Amendment. The matter remains unresolved, with no lawsuit filed yet, but legal counsel has signaled that litigation is likely unless access is restored.
