Rev. Thompson on Columbia Univ. Building Occupation: Police Breach Could’ve Been Avoided

Reid Mark we know ░░░░░░░░ obviously Fox News took ░░░░░░░░ advantage of this you ░░░░░░░░ decrying this as New ░░░░░░░░ out of control and ░░░░░░░░ et cetera We know ░░░░░░░░ like Christopher Rufo talked ░░░░░░░░ outside agitators somebody the ░░░░░░░░ who created the fake ░░░░░░░░ panic over Critical Race ░░░░░░░░ and DEI was urging ░░░░░░░░ right to get on ░░░░░░░░ campuses and cause trouble ░░░░░░░░ make it bad for ░░░░░░░░ to turn it into ░░░░░░░░ things We know that ░░░░░░░░ happening But you were ░░░░░░░░ talking to the students ░░░░░░░░ Hamilton Hall How did ░░░░░░░░ devolve to the point ░░░░░░░░ police were called Thompson ░░░░░░░░ for having me Joy ░░░░░░░░ led a worship service ░░░░░░░░ at the encampment on ░░░░░░░░ interfaith service Yesterday I ░░░░░░░░ contacted early by Governor ░░░░░░░░ s chief of staff ░░░░░░░░ lynch She reached out ░░░░░░░░ see if I could ░░░░░░░░ in getting the students ░░░░░░░░ the line She was ░░░░░░░░ with getting the university ░░░░░░░░ the line to restart ░░░░░░░░ to really avert calls ░░░░░░░░ were getting to send ░░░░░░░░ the National Guard They ░░░░░░░░ wanted to avoid the ░░░░░░░░ of police raid that ░░░░░░░░ last night And so ░░░░░░░░ was literally like an ░░░░░░░░ of 24 We spent ░░░░░░░░ day yesterday trying to ░░░░░░░░ something together As late ░░░░░░░░ 8 30 last night ░░░░░░░░ was a plan for ░░░░░░░░ the governor s chief ░░░░░░░░ staff Ms Lynch and ░░░░░░░░ city government official to ░░░░░░░░ the campus to speak ░░░░░░░░ the students in Hamilton ░░░░░░░░ not exactly in the ░░░░░░░░ but just outside of ░░░░░░░░ they were going to ░░░░░░░░ given safe passage to ░░░░░░░░ to us A university ░░░░░░░░ then agreed to meet ░░░░░░░░ us after While I ░░░░░░░░ en route listening over ░░░░░░░░ phone there were three ░░░░░░░░ commands given by the ░░░░░░░░ followed by at least ░░░░░░░░ stand down commands by ░░░░░░░░ civilian official Just before ░░░░░░░░ could get to the ░░░░░░░░ after reaching this agreement ░░░░░░░░ police for whatever reason ░░░░░░░░ could not hold I ░░░░░░░░ still not clear I ░░░░░░░░ looking to find out ░░░░░░░░ gave the order But ░░░░░░░░ we were about to ░░░░░░░░ the campus it was ░░░░░░░░ and everything was off ░░░░░░░░ could have been avoided ░░░░░░░░ other goal and I ░░░░░░░░ the work Jelani has ░░░░░░░░ to keep things together ░░░░░░░░ also on the part ░░░░░░░░ Ms Lynch and the ░░░░░░░░ s office they expressed ░░░░░░░░ me a desire to ░░░░░░░░ to have some of ░░░░░░░░ students demands met as ░░░░░░░░ So this could have ░░░░░░░░ down much differently.”