Hundreds of anti-Israel protesters were arrested at Emory University on Thursday following a violent confrontation with law enforcement, which included at least one professor who was seen in an online video being wrestled to the ground and handcuffed by police. The professor reportedly was identified as Emory economics professor Caroline Fohlin.
In the disturbing video filmed by CNN, but widely circulated on social media, the chaos unfolds on the Atlanta campus as officers move in on the impromptu tent city set up by demonstrators earlier that morning. Amid the chaos, a chorus of screams can be heard from the crowd as officers start arresting demonstrators and placing them under arrest.
Professor Wrestled and Arrested
At a particular moment, Fohlin approaches one of the protesters who is being arrested, but she herself is then grabbed by an Atlanta police officer and loudly ordered to the ground.
Seconds later, the officer wrestles Fohlin to the grass, calling for help as she flails and screams, exclaiming, "Oh my god!" while identifying herself as a professor.
Another officer joins the scene to help in getting her hands behind her back, as protesters gather around them, shouting insults. "You are Hitler! You are rabid dogs! You are fascists! Shame on you!" a male demonstrator shouted at the cops from a few feet away.
Following the arrests, during which 28 people were taken into custody, university president Gregory L. Fenves issued a statement to the Emory community swiftly disavowing the "highly organized outside protesters" whom he held responsible for the violence.
"I am saddened by what took place at Emory yesterday. To watch these highly organized, outside protestors (sic) arrive on campus in vans, construct an encampment, and overtake the Quad just days after it was vandalized with hateful and threatening messages was deeply disturbing," the statement reads in part.
"I also know that some of the videos are shocking, and I am horrified that members of our community had to experience and witness such interactions. The fact that members of our community were arrested upsets me even more and is something that I take very seriously."
Chaos at Emory University
In another, shorter video captured during the mass arrest, a woman with her arms behind her back is seen being escorted by an Atlanta police officer in tactical gear.
She identifies herself as Noelle McAfee, chair of the philosophy department at Emory.
The campus anti-Israel protests, which have spanned from Massachusetts to California in recent days, have resulted in the arrest of over 500 protesters.
The majority of these arrests occurred at NYU and Columbia, with additional incidents at Yale, the University of Southern California, The Ohio State University, Indiana University Bloomington, and Emory.
