Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Ray Kelly Gets Heckled In Columbia Classroom, Thinks It's Cute
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Nov 29, 2011
Modified Nov 30, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Nov 29, 2011
Modified Nov 30, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly paid a visit today to the SIPA class that David Dinkins currently teaches at Columbia University, and Bwog reports that Kelly was thoroughly heckled (by an NYU saboteur!). But don't worry, the Commish thinks those protesters are just adorable.
Kelly was taking questions from the class
When a student pulled out a projector and began to screen images of police officers beating civilians on the wall behind Kelly. “We’d like to offer an alternative version,” one slide read. People started shifting awkwardly in their chairs, then shifting much more awkwardly when the student turned the projector around so that the film was facing Kelly as he continued to speak.
This student stood up and called for Kelly’s resignation. “Are you serious, Kelly?” he asked. “Resign now.” Professor Dinkins sprung up from his chair and instructed the young man to “take it easy.” Several students asked if he was even registered for the course. “No, I go to NYU,” he said. A groan went up and students began asking him to leave.
“Well, this is very intimidating,” Kelly said, grinning.
HAHA it's gonna take a lot more than some Final Cut Pro magic from Occupy Wall Street to rattle 'ole Ray. This is the video in question, which shows a variety of questionable NYPD behavior over the last few months.
A few minutes later, another student asked Kelly why most people who are arrested are incarcerated for “drug crimes.” Dinkins said he didn’t understand the question, and things got confrontational between the student, Kelly, and Dinkins pretty quickly. The student’s SIPA colleagues were not pleased—a few students and a TA asked if she was registered for the class. “No,” she said, “but I do have a question.”
Commissioner Kelly, still grinning, leaned over to another guest for today’s class, New York District Attorney Cy Vance, and loudly whispered, “Says something about the security of this school, doesn’t it?”
Kelly got a round of applause as he left the class.
What, no DSK questions for Vance? One commenter on the story cheers Projector Man: "bravo to the nyu student who stood up and did what all of the frat bros in that class were too scared/numbed to do." Another notes that Kelly in fact instructed "the entire police force to NOT issue any arrests for marijuana possession. These protestors are protesting the wrong guy."
While it's rude to interrupt class (unless you're playing a sexxxy saxophone) it's certainly refreshing when a major public figure is confronted outside the confines of a TV studio and where "no comments" are meaningless. And did he really deserve a "round of applause?" We're looking forward to the video.
Tagged
college
columbia
don't tase me bro
nypd
NYU
police brutality
Ray Kelly
smugness
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYPD hate crime unit investigates smashed windows, ‘Pal Action’ graffiti at UES Capital One
The bank previously faced protests over a $90 million loan to an Israeli drone company.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 20, 2026 at 8:35 a.m. ET
A reliably Republican part of NJ, until ICE came to town
The Trump administration’s plan to convert a warehouse in Roxbury into an ICE detention center has upended local politics ahead of the midterm elections.
By
Mike Hayes
News
A reliably Republican part of NJ, until ICE came to town
The Trump administration’s plan to convert a warehouse in Roxbury into an ICE detention center has upended local politics ahead of the midterm elections.
By
Mike Hayes
NYC school integration debate exposes tensions between Black parents and Mamdani
By
Elizabeth Kim
Queens man charged with hate crime at Jewish-owned bagel shop displaying Israeli flags
By
Giulia Heyward
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
By
Stephen Nessen
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .