Monday began peacefully enough at New York University, where I am a faculty member at the medical center.
In contrast to many other major universities, NYU lacks a central campus. When it comes to the volatile demonstrations here, at Columbia University and around the country, not having a central collecting place for encampments is actually an advantage. Many NYU students consider Washington Square Park their equivalent of a green, even though it is public property patrolled by the police. Previous dueling protests in the park for Palestinians or Israelis remained for the most part peaceful.
Unfortunately, during the most recent protests, the police have had to exert a major effort to keep order and must be recognized for doing so. The NYU administration should also be applauded for quickly involving the police to help keep the students safe. Pro-Palestinian protests were held at Gould Plaza, outside Stern Business School, and initially controlled by barricades. But when they spilled over and became more threatening, reportedly egged on by professional agitators, the police intervened.
The right to protest is........