A win for AIM: Columbia suspends student for disrupting class, handing out antisemitic flyers
January 24, 2025
Columbia University has expedited its investigation into a group that disrupted a class on Israeli history and has suspended one student.
As Accuracy in Media previously reported, the first day of the spring semester at Columbia proved the university has not stamped out antisemitism on campus. Dozens of protesters gathered around the university’s gates, and a group of fully masked students disrupted a History of Modern Israel class.
Protesters published flyers reading “Burn Zionism to the ground” and threw them at students during that class, which is taught by an Israeli professor. They physically prevented a class from being taught because they hate Israel and intended to intimidate students.
So AIM worked quickly to get a mobile billboard on campus, again calling out the antisemites and demanding accountability.
CNN reports:
One flyer shows a burning Israeli flag underneath the words “Burn Zionism to the Ground,” and another depicts a large black boot about to stomp on the Jewish Star of David and reads “Crush Zionism,” according to pictures taken by Baker.
“It was shocking for everyone in the class,” said Baker, a junior studying Middle Eastern history. “I’m still super excited for this class. It’s a shame that this incident is going to put us on edge inside the classroom.”
As a result of the interruption, Columbia previously said it was intensifying its investigative efforts to identify the individuals involved as well as modifying its security measures. The school said it did not know if the demonstrators were students.
“No group of students has a right to disrupt another group of students in a Columbia classroom,” university interim president Katrina Armstrong said in a statement. “We want to be absolutely clear that any act of antisemitism, or other form of discrimination, harassment, or intimidation against members of our community is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
This is not the first or second time that Accuracy in Media has demanded accountability on campus at Columbia University. This student’s suspension is, however, the swiftest action Columbia has taken against the rampant antisemitism on campus. But this has been a problem for more than a year — one that had then-president Minouche Shafik appear before Congress in a hearing specifically on campus activism and eventually led to her resignation, and one that led to an ongoing investigation specifically on antisemitism conducted by the National Institutes of Health.
Take action now: Visit ColumbiaHatesJews.com to send a message to the Columbia Board of Trustees.