Columbia University protests dismantled by NYPD; 119 arrested NBC New York [Video]

More than 100 protesters were arrested — yet few injuries reported — when NYPD officers in riot gear descended on Columbia University late Tuesday, using tactical strategies to clear the occupied Hamilton Hall and lawn encampment at the request of the college, as anti-war demonstrations at U.S. campuses reached an inflection point.

Dramatic video showed heavily geared officers using a ladder truck and climbing through a window to access the historic hall, known for its role in an anti-Vietnam War protest decades ago, where protesters had barricaded themselves after smashing windows and doors to break in less than 24 hours before.

“They tried to lock us out but the NYPD and the people of the city of New York will never be locked out,” said NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban, after officers broke through locked doors and found some entrances blocked by furniture.

After being requested by the university to step in, police used “flash bangs,” or …