Public Safety Officer Tells Protestors, ‘I Support Killing All You Guys’
@hebh_jamal/X
A sergeant with the City University of New York’s Department of Public Safety told pro-Palestinian protestors he supports “killing all you guys” during a graduation ceremony.
The altercation took place on Thursday at the College of Staten Island and was caught on video and posted on social media by journalist Hebh Jamal. In the footage, the officer’s uniform says “Sgt. D. Girard.” He was later identified as Donald Girard by the New York Daily News. Here is his exchange with protestors:
PROTESTOR: You support genocide!
GIRARD: Yes I do.
PROTESTOR: You support genocide!
GIRARD: I support genocide. I support killing all you guys. How about that?
PROTESTOR: You wanna kill us?! I have you on camera! I have you on camera!
[…]
PROTESTOR: You’re a CUNY cop.
GIRARD: Fuck your mother!
Girard was eventually ushered away from the protestors.
City University of NY public safety officer just said “I support killing all you guys” to a group of students who walked out of the graduation at the College of Staten Island. pic.twitter.com/CT0pOqAHiV
— Hebh Jamal (@hebh_jamal) May 23, 2024
“We condemn the offensive language used by a CUNY officer during an otherwise wonderful commencement celebrating our 2,000 graduates,” a College of Staten Island spokesman told the Daily News. “His words don’t reflect the values of the College of Staten Island or the 50 officers on our Public Safety staff.”
The spokesman added that Girard has been suspended pending a review of the incident.
Student for Justice in Palestine demanded an apology from the school and the sergeant’s termination.
“CSI SJP will be exploring all legal options available to hold Girard… accountable for their violence against CSI students and their families,” the group stated.
Colleges and universities have been hotbeds of protests against Israel’s war in Gaza since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks.
