'Longtime anarchist,' 'possible leader' of Columbia's Gaza protest is wealthy heir with $2.3 million mansion

Arrested on Wednesday as one of a group of activists who broke into and occupied Columbia University's Hamilton Hall was "longtime anarchist" and millionaire James Carlson, 40, who also uses the aliases Cody Carlson and Cody Tarlow.

According to the New York Post, Carlson was charged with burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, conspiracy, and criminal trespassing for the incident in which a source at City Hall said he was looking at as a "possible leader."

In the arrest report, the officer said, "I observed the defendant inside the location with several other individuals." The officer added: "I did observe doors with shattered windows, doors off hinges, broken desks, and exits blockaded by piled-up chairs."

In addition to these charges, Carlson was also charged in connection to an incident in April where he allegedly lit an Israel supporter's flag on fire and hit the person in the face with a rock. He was charged with a hate crime on top of assault and petit larceny.

Carlson is the son of advertising executives Richard "Dick" Tarlow, and Sandy Carlson Tarlow. His mother was known as the person who defined the "public face of Ralph Lauren before she died in 2003.

Dick was known for his work with the likes of Ralph Lauren and Revlon and left an estimated $20 million estate when he passed away in 2022.

Property records show that Carlson purchased his home in Park Slope for over $2.3 million in 2019 has two children with model Kim Heyman. He appears to be estranged from his family.

A woman who answered the phone at his sister's house told the Post, "We don't talk to him. Leave us alone. He is out of our lives for so many years."

Carlson also has a criminal history of participating in violent protests that goes back to 2005, when he participated in the "West Coast Anti-Capitalist Mobilization and March Against the G8." During the violent event, a police officer had his skull cracked, and an activist tried to set a police vehicle on fire.

The charges stemming from that arrest were reportedly dropped in 2007.