They were more prepared than weekend glampers in the Catskills.
Plastic bags stuffed with supplies that appear to have been intended for the Columbia anti-Israel encampments recently lined the curb for trash pickup outside the Morningside Heights campus, footage shared by recycling advocate Anna Sacksshowed.
Among the junked sundries meant to fuel the demonstrations were Costco-size boxes of Nature Valley protein bars, instant noodles and dozens of unopened emergency blankets and ponchos.
Other still-usable items geared toward supporting the weekslong protests, including flashlights, chargers and tent poles, were also discovered in the Broadway pileup, Sacks said.
“They were more stocked than a Boy Scout troop at the Jamboree, although Scout Oath principles of ‘thrifty, brave, clean and reverent’ seem to have been lost on this loser patrol,” City Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli said of the protesters.
After police on April 30 arrested protesters who had seized the historic Hamilton Hall and those in the encampment, university staff swept the once-occupied campus lawn of any remaining tents and supplies.
The encampment-related food and equipment had been interspersed with dozens of other bags and carts, which were chock full of clothing, linens and pantry items that students had ditched in their frenzied dorm move-outs.
In addition to a luxe Sferra duvet that retails for over $1,000, the Ivy League students somehow parted with a Tiffany necklace, a Gucci ring, and even a crisp $50 bill, Sacks said.
Other ritzy goods students had dumped included a $128 Pat McGrath eyeshadow palette, a $13 chocolate bar from Tuck Shop, and a Juicy Couture denim jacket with its tag still on.
“The university administration is setting students up for failure and setting themselves up for creating a wasteful system,” the dumpster-diving influencer said of university’s policy, which requires students to clear their dorms within 24 hours of their final exams.
“I’d like to see the administration take these issues seriously, take sustainability seriously.”
