Columbia calls police to end demonstration, still fails to condemn antisemitism
May 1, 2024
Columbia University President Minouche Shafik finally called the cops in on the pro-Palestine demonstrators.
This was more than just those who had occupied one of the buildings:
New York City police arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators holed-up in an academic building on Columbia University campus late on Tuesday and removed a protest encampment the Ivy League school had sought to dismantle for nearly two weeks.
Shortly after police moved in, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik released a letter in which she requested police stay on campus until at least May 17 – two days after graduation – “to maintain order and ensure that encampments are not re-established.”
The Tentifada, at least at Columbia, is over — for this year at least. As we said, this is more than just that building they’d occupied:
Police officers carrying zip ties and riot shields stormed a Columbia University building being occupied by pro-Palestinian protesters, streaming in through a window late Tuesday and arresting dozens of people.
The protesters had seized the administration building, known as Hamilton Hall, more than 20 hours earlier in a major escalation as demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war spread on college campuses nationwide.
It will take far more work to end antisemitism at Columbia. But for now, the public demonstrations are done. If this is what it takes, then this is what it takes, from Shafik:
“Because my first responsibility is safety, with the support of the University’s Trustees, I made the decision to ask the New York City Police Department to intervene to end the occupation of Hamilton Hall and dismantle the main encampment along with a new, smaller encampment. These actions were completed Tuesday night, and I thank the NYPD for their incredible professionalism and support.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said about 300 people were arrested across New York campuses on Tuesday night.
Shafik has failed repeatedly to stop antisemitism at Columbia. Accuracy in Media has called out Columbia students for antisemitic actions again and again, and later sent a billboard directly to Shafik to demand she take action to hold antisemites accountable.
The work of dismantling that antisemitism has to be done; it is being done… but not by Columbia in a way that is making actual change. Shafik released a statement Wednesday. Like her previous communications, it has done little to condemn antisemitism.
Message from President Minouche Shafik. Read the complete message: https://t.co/v21Dxgn3mg pic.twitter.com/gLWpwGefgU
— Columbia University (@Columbia) May 1, 2024
“Islamic terrorists killed hundreds of men, women and children in Israel, and radical ‘scholars’ at Columbia responded by issuing a statement blaming Israel and the United States rather than the terrorists,” AIM President Adam Guillette said.
“Months have passed, and nothing has changed. It is now abundantly clear that the president of Columbia University is unable to put an end to widespread antisemitism on her campus.”