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The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 142, No. 2
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‘Mike ... Was Just Hoping the Number Would Be More’ Footage Shows Top Administrator Discussing Protester Detainments at Pathways to Peace By ZEINAB FARAJ Sun Features Editor
During a Cornell-hosted March panel on the Israel-Palestine conflict, 17 protesters were detained or arrested for disrupting the event with coordinated chanting and a walkout. Now, released body camera footage shows the chief administrator for the Office of the President, Kristin Hopkins, expressing dissatisfaction over the number of detainments on behalf of an individual referred to as “Mike.” She stated in an interaction with police that he “was just hoping the number would be
more than eight.” The University declined to confirm whether Hopkins’ mention of “Mike” was in reference to President Michael Kotlikoff. The panel, named Pathways to wwPeace, brought together leading scholars, policymakers and regional experts to discuss the paths forward for Israel and Palestine. Prior to the event, Students for Justice in Palestine announced a walkout, publishing an opinion piece in The Sun denouncing the University for hosting “alleged war criminals and collaborators.” SJP later faced suspension for its role in “advertising and organizing” the walkout, according to a statement released by
STEPHAN MENASCHE / SUN ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Detaining disruption | Seventeen student protesters were detained at the Pathways to Peace event for disrupting the panel.
Kotlikoff. come not to listen to individuals that have After initially interrupting the panelists significant expertise, but rather to disrupt the and an onstage warning from Kotlikoff that event,” Kotlikoff told The Sun. “I don’t think further disturbance would result in removal, that’s how learning occurs, and I expect more protesters escalated their disruption as they from Cornell students. began the walk-out, resulting in their detainDaniel Creamer, a non-student protester ment, and in some cases, arrests. who was detained at the panel, told The Sun Police body camera footage released in that he “was not surprised” by the body camcourt shows Hopkins asking police officers era footage. “I was not under the impression that about the number of “IDs” collected. “Do you feel like you’ve gotten a decent Kotlikoff liked protesters … or that he was a amount?” Hopkins asked the police offi- neutral party simply doing his job,” Creamer, cers in reference to the number of IDs the an Ithaca local, said. “He has sided with the officers had collected from protesters at the right wing many times, as is very typical for an event. One officer replied, “six to eight,” elitist university that funds genocide.” and Hopkins can then be seen texting on a Creamer also told The Sun that he believes cell phone following the response. She then that the police officers “were under a ton of explained to the officer that “Mike” was ask- pressure” to arrest a “significant number of ing about the number of protesters detained. people” at the event. Later, Hopkins tells the officer that “Mike” “The process of being detained was very was “just hoping the number would be more unorganized, and it felt like they wanted to hit than eight,” according to the body camera a certain number of people in [hand]cuffs,” footage. Another officer assures that “there Creamer said. “I remember them taking me probably is more,” in reference to additional out to the car and talking about locking me protesters they could detain. to the floor. The process was just so strange.” In total, “Cornell University Police idenIn Ithaca City Court, Creamer declined tified 17 people responsible” for the disrup- the six-month adjournment in contemplation and nine students were referred to the tion of dismissal that he was offered. An Office of Student Conduct and Community ACD refers to a deal where a criminal case is Standards, according to Kotlikoff’s statement dismissed following a predetermined period about the disruption. without future legal trouble. Kotlikoff told The Sun directly after the To continue reading this article, please visit panel that the protesters caused a “disruptive event” and that their demonstration was “not www.cornellsun.com freedom of speech,” but rather “infringing on Zeinab Faraj can be reached at zfaraj@corsomeone else’s freedom of speech.” “I find that very unfortunate that people nellsun.com.
‘Take Back Our University’ Rally Unites a Wide Range of Causes
Four student organizations led the protest for student rights, against the war in Gaza and climate change By SOPHIA RILEY-SIM Sun Contributor
Aug. 29 — Nearly 125 protesters marched in the “Take Back Our University” rally from Ho Plaza to Day Hall on Thursday afternoon, petitioning the University in support of a plethora of different causes. The rally, which was jointly organized by Cornell American Association of University Professors, Cornell Collective for Justice in Palestine, Cornell Graduate Students United and Cornell on Fire, protested against the war in Gaza, climate change, and for the rights of graduate, international and transgender students. The protesters first gathered on Ho Plaza at 12 p.m. to hear introductory speeches before marching to Day Hall at around 12:30 p.m., where speeches continued as a small group of onlookers confronted the demonstrators. While protesting, demonstrators from across the four organizations held signs that read “Stop making deals with Trump,” “Viva viva Palestina” and “CGSU-UE is powered by queer workers,” among others. Rally organizer Prof. Tracy McNulty,
French and comparative literature, emphasized the unity of these organizations. “One thing that was important for us in planning this protest was to get involvement from a lot of different groups on campus who have not been working together in the past, or who have not been perceived as working towards the same thing,” McNulty said. “The aim is that this [rally] would be kind of a big tent protest, really urging the need to support one another across these different causes.” McNulty said that going into the 2025-2026 academic year, Cornell’s campus can expect to see more collective action protests featuring several united organizations. On several occasions, the protest faced backlash while in front of Day Hall from onlookers. One driver yelled, “terrorists, pieces of sh*t, f*ck you” through the window of their moving car to the demonstrators.
To continue reading this article, please visit www.cornellsun.com Sophia Riley-Sim can be reached at sas723@cornell.edu.
NATHAN ELLISON / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Diverse demonstration | The ‘Take Back Our University’ rally brought supporters of a variety of causes together in one protest.