College of Staten Island suspends official who told pro-Palestinian protesters: ‘I support killing you all’

NEW YORK — A security officer at a New York City public college was suspended after footage circulated online showing him insulting pro-Palestinian protesters during a graduation ceremony and saying he supported killing them, the college confirmed Friday.

An unidentified protester filmed the officer at Thursday’s graduation ceremony at the College of Staten Island, part of the City University of New York’s public university system, which was recently rocked by a police crackdown on protests on campus.

In a heavily edited video shared by Instagram accounts linked to the organizers of the student protests, a protester can be heard shouting at the police officer: “You support genocide!”

“Yes, I do. I support genocide,” the officer says. “I support killing you all, how about that?”

In another clip posted in the video, the police officer can be heard hurling a curse word at another protester, followed by “your mother.”

Phone calls and emails seeking comment from the official were unsuccessful Friday. A person who answered a number listed in his name hung up when a reporter identified himself, and emails were not immediately returned.

CUNY confirmed the suspension on Friday but declined to provide details, such as whether the officer was on paid leave.

“We condemn the offensive language used by a CUNY officer,” David Pizzuto, spokesman for the College of Staten Island, said in a statement. “His words do not reflect the values ​​of the College of Staten Island or the 50 officers of our public safety service. The officer has been suspended pending a full investigation of the incident and we will take further action as appropriate.”

Protest camps have sprung up in the United States and Europe, with students demanding that their universities stop doing business with Israel or with companies that support its war effort. Organizers hope to amplify calls for an end to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which they describe as genocide against the Palestinians.

The United Nations’ top court on Friday ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, but stopped short of ordering a ceasefire for the entire Palestinian territory. The International Court of Justice has said there is a “plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza – a charge Israel strongly denies.

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