The students gathered outside the university to protest the so-called “Human Rights Forum” sponsored by the New York Police Department (NYPD), press tv reported.

Former New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and former US Attorney General Michael Mukasey had been invited to speak on the NYU campus.

The students objected to the presence of Kelly and the showing of a film promoting torture and other violations of international law.

“Kelly, the former NYPD police commissioner, is not only responsible for pursuing the stop and frisk policy that racially discriminates against the people over the city, but he is the one who spied on Muslim student groups,” NYU Law student Amith Gupta said.

Some students dressed in jumpsuits with bags over their heads, depicting the acts of torture that Mukasey defended as US attorney general.

Students also criticized Kelly for a program that involved spying on the NYU Muslim Student Association.

Retired transit worker Marty Goodman joined the protesters, saying he is disgusted with the NYPD’s record of anti-Islamic hate.

“There have been racist training films showing at the NYPD that scandalously misrepresented Muslims as basically all terrorists and sneaky and spying and trying to hurt this country, these guys in the NYPD have no place at a human rights forum,” he said.

A crowd of police officers assembled and attempted to force the students to disperse. The students refused and continued the protest for several hours.

The Moroccan times