Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has dropped almost all charges against students involved in the recent protests against Israel at Columbia University.
Arrests took place as left-wing protesters occupied a building on Columbia University’s Manhattan campus in April, expressing opposition to Israel’s actions against Hamas.
As expected by many, Bragg has chosen to drop nearly all charges against them.
As reported by NBC News:
Of the 46 people charged with trespassing in connection with the building’s occupation, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office dismissed cases against 31 people largely due to a lack of evidence.
Prosecutors told 14 others that their cases would be dropped if they avoid being arrested in the next six months, but those defendants rejected that offer and will be due back in court on July 25.
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The prosecutor said it would have been “extremely difficult” to prove the dismissed cases because the district attorney’s office lacks evidence, including surveillance footage from cameras that were covered up. The fact that some of the defendants wore masks also made it difficult to identify their specific actions.
Just weeks after successfully convicting Donald Trump on charges of falsifying business documents, a move criticized by many as politically motivated, Bragg’s latest decision reinforces his stance.
Last week, Bragg confirmed his upcoming testimony before the House Judiciary Committee regarding his involvement in Trump’s prosecution, potentially holding him accountable for his attempt to undermine America’s democratic process.
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