Columbia University and Barnard College are facing swift backlash from lawmakers and members of the public following reports of ongoing anti-Israel protests and violence on campus. Jewish students have been specifically targeted by anti-Israel agitators, prompting the Orthodox rabbi at the school to recommend that students leave campus and go home for their own safety.
Rabbi Elie Buechler, director of the Orthodox Union’s Columbia/Barnard Hillel, sent a WhatsApp message to hundreds of students before the start of Passover, urging them to leave “as soon as possible” due to the dangerous and volatile situation on campus. In his message, he denounced the “extreme antisemitism and anarchy” surrounding the protests and expressed his pain at having to recommend students leave their studies and return home.
The rabbi’s message comes after a series of disturbing incidents on campus, including participants in the anti-Israel encampment openly voicing support for terrorism and violence against Jewish students. Videos of the protests circulating online show demonstrators chanting slogans such as “Al-Qassam you make us proud, kill another soldier now!” and “Hamas we love you. We support your rockets too!” This has raised concerns about the safety of Jewish students on campus and calls for action from university leaders and the NYPD.
House GOP Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., called for Columbia University President Dr. Nemat “Minouche” Shafik to “immediately resign” in light of the school’s failure to protect Jewish students and enforce campus rules. Stefanik criticized Shafik and other university officials for their hours-long testimony before Congress last week, which she believes was a “cover-up” for their inaction and inability to control the situation on campus.
How would @Columbia respond if the students took over campus in support of the KKK and called for the genocide of other ethnic minorities?
Would @Columbia continue to support the demonstrations on the basis of a commitment to free speech or would the University’s code of conduct…
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) April 21, 2024
The protests and encampment were sparked by the recent violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but have since evolved into a platform for supporting terrorist organizations and targeting Jewish students. This has led to calls for the National Guard to be brought in to ensure the safety of students.
Notable figures, including Shai Davidai, a Jewish professor at Columbia, have spoken out against the protests and demanded action from university leadership. Davidai called for the gates of the university to be opened and for the NYPD or National Guard to disperse the demonstrators and arrest those who refused to leave. He also criticized the university for allowing this situation to escalate and become a “hostile takeover” of the campus.
The congressional hearing last week shed light on the university’s lack of consequences for professors who have made controversial statements in support of terrorism. The university president faced tough questioning about her handling of these incidents, with lawmakers pushing for more action to address antisemitism on campus. However, the protests have continued and several students who were arrested on Thursday have since been released without any punishment from the university.
The videos posted last night on Columbia University’s Chabad are shocking.
This isn’t anti-Zionism. It’s blatant antisemitism. pic.twitter.com/7Ggk9dndGv
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyDillon) April 21, 2024
Meanwhile, the White House has condemned the ongoing protests at Columbia University and other colleges as “blatantly antisemitic, unconscionable and dangerous” and has sent a strong message that such behavior has no place in U.S. institutions. The lack of response from school officials and the ongoing protests have sparked outrage and calls for action from the public and elected officials.
The New School, located in the same neighborhood as Columbia, has also been swept up in the protests. However, in a statement, the school’s president has agreed to meet with students and address their concerns about divesting from certain holdings within the university’s endowment, in a show of support for their right to peacefully protest. The statement also emphasized the school’s commitment to protecting the rights of all members of the community and promoting free speech.
As the protests and clashes continue, many are calling on Columbia University and Barnard College to take immediate action to ensure the safety of all students and maintain a respectful and inclusive campus environment. The situation has sparked a larger conversation about the enforcement of campus rules, the appropriate response to antisemitism, and the need for open dialogue and understanding in times of heightened tensions.
