The Columbia university campus in New York City is now a “blatantly antisemitic” tent “encampment” with students proclaiming they want the once prestigious college to be the “People’s University of Palestine.”The anti-Israel demonstration has been going on for six days. Columbia students were issued an overnight notice from Columbia University President Dr. Nemat Shafik stating all Monday classes would be held virtually. NYC police on Thursday arrested and issued a summons for trespassing to 108 people who refused to leave the pro-Palestine tent city, according to Fox News. Also on Thursday, the university began issuing suspension notices to those involved in the protest. .Shafik said she was grieved by the sprawling campus “encampment” on campus with students chanting anti-Jewish slogans and displaying antisemitic signs."I am deeply saddened by what is happening on our campus," Shafik wrote. "Our bonds as a community have been severely tested in ways that will take a great deal of time and effort to reaffirm. Students across an array of communities have conveyed fears for their safety and we have announced additional actions we are taking to address security concerns.”“The decibel of our disagreements has only increased in recent days. These tensions have been exploited and amplified by individuals who are not affiliated with Columbia who have come to campus to pursue their own agendas.""We need a reset. To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday. Our preference is that students who do not live on campus will not come to campus.”.The White House on Monday condemned the “blatantly antisemitic, unconscionable and dangerous” Columbia protests “in the strongest terms.”White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said these ongoing anti-Israel protests have no place in the US. "While every American has the right to peaceful protest, calls for violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly antisemitic, unconscionable and dangerous, they have absolutely no place on any college campus or anywhere in the United States of America," said Bates. "And echoing the rhetoric of terrorist organizations, especially in the wake of the worst massacre committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, is despicable. We condemn these statements in the strongest terms."Students in the pro-Palestine encampments have called for an intifada and the death of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Fox News reported. They told one Jewish student to “kill yourself,” and kicked them repeatedly in the stomach.
The Columbia university campus in New York City is now a “blatantly antisemitic” tent “encampment” with students proclaiming they want the once prestigious college to be the “People’s University of Palestine.”The anti-Israel demonstration has been going on for six days. Columbia students were issued an overnight notice from Columbia University President Dr. Nemat Shafik stating all Monday classes would be held virtually. NYC police on Thursday arrested and issued a summons for trespassing to 108 people who refused to leave the pro-Palestine tent city, according to Fox News. Also on Thursday, the university began issuing suspension notices to those involved in the protest. .Shafik said she was grieved by the sprawling campus “encampment” on campus with students chanting anti-Jewish slogans and displaying antisemitic signs."I am deeply saddened by what is happening on our campus," Shafik wrote. "Our bonds as a community have been severely tested in ways that will take a great deal of time and effort to reaffirm. Students across an array of communities have conveyed fears for their safety and we have announced additional actions we are taking to address security concerns.”“The decibel of our disagreements has only increased in recent days. These tensions have been exploited and amplified by individuals who are not affiliated with Columbia who have come to campus to pursue their own agendas.""We need a reset. To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday. Our preference is that students who do not live on campus will not come to campus.”.The White House on Monday condemned the “blatantly antisemitic, unconscionable and dangerous” Columbia protests “in the strongest terms.”White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said these ongoing anti-Israel protests have no place in the US. "While every American has the right to peaceful protest, calls for violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly antisemitic, unconscionable and dangerous, they have absolutely no place on any college campus or anywhere in the United States of America," said Bates. "And echoing the rhetoric of terrorist organizations, especially in the wake of the worst massacre committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, is despicable. We condemn these statements in the strongest terms."Students in the pro-Palestine encampments have called for an intifada and the death of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Fox News reported. They told one Jewish student to “kill yourself,” and kicked them repeatedly in the stomach.
