Mayor Eric Adams warned Antifa agitators that he won’t allow them to “destroy our city” as violent anti-ICE protests spiraled out of control across the country.
“We know that there are those who travel our country and embed themselves into issues like Antifa and others,” Hizzoner told Newsmax Wednesday night.
“And they have one goal in mind, and that is to provoke and to create disruption and disorder, particularly with our law enforcement community.”
“We identify them immediately, remove them from the crowds and take proper police practice when they cross the line,” he added.
The NYPD nabbed 10 people in the Big Apple Wednesday as anti-ICE protestor took to the streets, law enforcement sources said.
It was down dramatically from the more than 80 taken into custody when a massive protest in Lower Manhattan descended into chaos on Tuesday.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch has already insisted the NYPD would stand its ground and not let protests get out of control as the violence only escalated in Los Angeles and other major cities.
“Commissioner Tisch gave a very loud and clear message. We will allow peaceful protests, but we will not allow you to destroy our city or harm innocent people,” Adams said.
“And we will take action whenever that takes place.”
Elsewhere, Hizzoner blamed the unrest on “outside agitators” — likening them to those who flooded Columbia University last year to “radicalize” students amid the wave of anti-Israel demonstrations.
“If you recall during the Columbia protest, I talked about the outside agitators, professional agitators that want to come on our college campuses and radicalize our students,” he said.
“Some of the leaflets and pamphlets that were handed out talk about hating America, hating Israel, hating Jewish people. Just real mean and nasty things.”
“And we went in and took appropriate action when they broke into a dorm room… we found that there were those who were professionals, that they came from other parts of the country and actually agitated and pushed to participate in the taking over of Hamilton Hall,” he continued.
“We’re seeing that here as well. These are professional people who believe in disruption and destruction of property.”
Additional reporting by Larry Celona
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