Protesters gather outside of Columbia University's Butler Library (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
MANHATTAN—A parade of keffiyeh-clad students descended on Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday to face formal arraignment for their roles in a violent takeover of Columbia University’s Butler Library. Their lawyer accused Israel of "genocide," asked the court to consider dismissal, and ultimately secured adjournments for procedural documents that will delay the cases for more than a month.
A total of 56 defendants were arraigned at the courthouse, with a few joined by their nervous parents. Among the defendants present were Ramona Sarsgaard, the nepo baby daughter of Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard. Dima Aboukasm—whom Mayor Eric Adams once hailed as a peace activist—also had her day in court. They were represented by Matthew W. Daloisio, the same attorney who represented those arrested for storming Columbia's Hamilton Hall in 2024.
Daloisio defended his clients' conduct, saying they "set up a teach-in in a library." He asked the court "to consider dismissal in the interest of justice" before requesting and receiving an "adjournment for supporting depositions" from Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg's office, which requires law enforcement to produce documents "signing off on the criminal allegations [and] saying the charges are true," local defense attorney Jason Goldman told the Washington Free Beacon. Goldman speculated that Daloisio "wants this adjournment to see in fact whether Bragg's office upholds the arrests and moves the case forward in a criminal prosecution."
"It's a good strategy" meant to "avoid the public scrutiny" and "see if they can get the case dismissed," Goldman said. "Bragg dropped charges in 2024, and I think he'll do it again."
Goldman was referring to Bragg's decision to dismiss dozens of cases for the Columbia rabble rousers who stormed Hamilton Hall during a similar explosion of campus violence last spring. The decision earned him widespread criticism from Jewish and good-government groups at the time.
Rioters in the more recent Butler Library melee injured two security officers and distributed pro-Hamas literature to students who had been studying quietly for final exams, resulting in 81 arrests. Some of the defendants were testy as they paraded into court.
"You are a loser, go away," one said. "Piece of shit," a second added later. A frazzled mom of one of the arrestees, meanwhile, told the Free Beacon: "I’ve been waiting here an hour and you’re not going in before me."
Most of the defendants wore masks and other articles of clothing in support of Hamas. Their appearance created a circus-like atmosphere in the courthouse as more run-of-the-mill arrestees in handcuffs walked past with bemusement.
On several occasions the New York Police Department asked the Free Beacon not to engage with any of the defendants.
"Please don’t do anything uppity around them. All it takes is one fart for them to fly off the handle," said one cop.
One prominent defendant, ex-Bloomberg journalist Jason Kao, was not there. His arraignment is scheduled for July 23 along with 20 other defendants, the Manhattan DA's office said.
All of the student miscreants were charged with third-degree trespassing and arraigned on desk appearance tickets. Many of the defendants treated the charges with open contempt in the courtroom, using the time to text with friends, write in journals, and read. The Assassination of Lumumba and Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of The Earth were among several titles on display.
Some used the court appearance to vogue hot NYC looks. Nadia Schwingle appeared in court with high top boots, a designer bag, and an haute couture keffiyeh.
Though Bragg did not immediately drop the charges, Goldman, the New York City defense attorney, argued that the defendants will eventually walk free.
"They’re going to resolve in dismissal or something very close to it. I don’t think these people will be left with criminal records. I just don’t think these charges will be pressed aggressively," he said.
"For the same reason it was dismissed last time, Bragg doesn't think this is worth criminal prosecution in the same way other cases are."
One of the students, Dalia Darazim, had her charges dismissed on a technicality after she was sent a desk appearance ticket which incorrectly instructed her to appear in Staten Island.
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