Gregory Pflugfelder had just finished the final class of his career at Columbia. In 28 years at the university, he achieved many accolades as a professor of history who taught a popular course on Japanese monsters – mostly focused on Godzilla and “the role of the monstrous in the cultural imagination.”
He didn’t know it, but a cultural monster of sorts would soon be at his door.
The next night, on Tuesday, the 64-year-old silver-haired scholar stepped outside his apartment building, located off campus across the street from Columbia. He wanted to record iPhone video of hundreds of police responding to historic student protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. Fifteen minutes later, the NYPD arrested him.
He said he told the female police officer arresting him: “You’ve just arrested your first faculty member.” He said she responded, “This is for your protection.”
If this doesn’t scream big brother I don’t know what does.
“You are being rescued. Please do not resist.”
Can’t trust those Imperial units regardless if they’ve been reprogrammed.
Sounds like the Gestapo.
Or Gazpacho.
Where’s the Pro-Gazpacho rally?
I’m down for that! My ex had the greatest gazpacho recipe, but she took it with her. I wonder if it would be creepy for my to call and see if she’ll send it
Tell her you’re advocating for Gazpacho over Gestapo. LET THE PEOPLE EAT! FOOD NOT FASCISM!
He was charged with obstructing a government organization. Obstruction of Government Administration under NY Penal Law § 195.05 is a class A misdemeanor. A class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in jail or up to three years of probation. Additionally, the court may impose a fine of up to $1,000.
For holding an iPhone in the street.
Yeah that case is getting tossed. The bigger question is whether or not he files suit for the arrest, which he should.
Presumably that’s the strategy: arrest everyone to break up the protests and scare off future protests , then drop charges since you really don’t have any. Bonus that most students don’t have the resources to sue for wrongful arrest. It would be a shame if they arrested someone who did
Bonus bonus points, even if charges are dropped, the fact that you were arrested still shows up on your criminal record, and may affect your employment opportunities.
Fuck the police and if you back the blue fuck you too.
I did not intend for that to rhyme
…bars
Even (and, perhaps, especially) given the circumstances, I think it’s time we start calling them gestapo. Disgusting.
Gestapopo, even.
Enjoy your six figure settlement, Professor! That won’t hurt your retirement plans any.
Courtesy of the local tax payers….
I think it will be more like five figures… Source: I know multiple people who have received such a settlement. Often it takes years, in one case it took ten. They budget for this.
And we get to pay for it, lucky us!
Cops need to be licensed and insured, with the premium coming from their own salary.
The gestapo has come for you… for your own protection…
Just send a video to a prominent YT 1st amendment auditor like Audit The Audit, and ask them to plug a GoFundMe.
