Following recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University and The City College of New York (CCNY), New York City officials have revealed that nearly half of the 282 people arrested during the protests were not students currently enrolled in either institution.

In response to mounting pressure, the New York City Police Department and Mayor Eric Adams released a breakdown of the arrests on Thursday. The data showed that 29% of the 112 individuals arrested at Columbia University's protest on Tuesday were not affiliated with the university. Meanwhile, at CCNY, 60% of the 170 arrested protestors had no affiliation with the school.

The decision to send police to Columbia University was made at the request of the school's administrators, who claimed that activists occupying Hamilton Hall were being guided by individuals not associated with the university. Similar requests for police action have been made by school officials across the country as students express their opposition to Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza.

Since the outbreak of pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses, more than 2,100 people have been arrested nationwide. However, some city officials have resisted calls from school administrators to disband police presence at these protests.

Mayor Adams defended the deployment of police officers to Columbia University, stating that he had received information indicating that one of the "outside agitators" had a spouse arrested for federal terrorism charges. However, the individual in question, Nahla Al-Arian, denied the mayor's statements, asserting that her husband's history had been misrepresented.

Criticism has arisen over the use of excessive police force during the demonstrations at Columbia University, City College, and other schools. Students and onlookers have voiced their concern, questioning the need for such heavy police presence.

The identities of individuals arrested during Tuesday's protests at the campuses have not been released by city officials. Mayor Adams explained that this information has been handed over to the schools, leaving it up to them to decide whether to disclose the names of the arrested individuals.

The city further revealed that the identification process for the arrests was hindered by protesters' refusal to cooperate with the police. A spokesperson for the mayor's office informed NPR that affiliation with Columbia or CCNY was determined using mugshots when the arrested individuals did not provide their names. However, further clarification on this process is being sought from both educational institutions.

As tensions continue to rise and protests persist, the issue surrounding the involvement of non-affiliated individuals in the demonstrations remains a significant concern for New York City officials. The clashes between protesters and law enforcement highlight a growing national debate over the appropriate response to student-led activism on college campuses.