Columbia University is currently a hotbed of anti-Jewish extremism disguised as a protest in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There are numerous videos emerging on social media of Jewish students and professors being targeted and harassed by pro-Palestinian protesters. The situation has escalated beyond mere advocacy for a ceasefire and has taken a dangerous turn, with protesters openly expressing support for Hamas.
Videos circulating on social media show Jewish students and faculty members being singled out and intimidated by demonstrators. One particularly alarming image depicts a protester holding a sign that reads “AL-QASAM’S NEXT TARGETS,” with an arrow pointed toward Jewish students. Al-Qassam is the military wing of Hamas, responsible for orchestrating attacks against Israel, including the October 7 attack.
While the university administration has issued the standard condemnation of harassment and discrimination, promising to investigate the incidents, many Jewish students and staff feel that more decisive action is necessary to ensure their safety on campus. Despite these concerns, the university has done next to nothing, with violent protesters occupying the university square without consequence.
Shai Davidia, an assistant professor at Columbia, has been vocal on Twitter about the unrest. However, he found himself facing repercussions for speaking out when the university deactivated his access credentials for campus buildings. Checkpoints called Liberated Zone are set up by protesters have restricted Jewish students and staff from accessing certain areas of the campus. The University claims it was for his safety.
New England Patriots owner, Robert Kraft, took the liberty to issue a statement to immediately withdraw support from Columbia University, his alma mater.
Gaza Solidarity Camps are spreading rapidly across the country and students are making demands, including divestment from Israel and severing academic ties with Israeli universities. They also demand an end to policing on campus and a public statement from the university calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and denouncing the ongoing violence against Palestinians.
Among their demands, the protesters call for severing academic ties with Israeli universities, including the Global Center in Tel Aviv, the Dual Degree Program with Tel Aviv University, and all study-abroad programs, fellowships, and research collaborations with Israeli academic institutions. They also demand an end to land grabs and displacement, as well as an end to the repression of Palestinian students and their allies on and off campus.
One thing we know is the left has been activated. In 2020, it was Black Lives Matter and Antifa. Today, it has morphed into pro-Palestinian protests. Protesters are promising to make their way to the DNC Convention in Chicago. The last DNC riot in Chicago occurred in 1968. The protests during the 1968 DNC in Chicago were primarily against the Vietnam War. The protests turned violent when clashes erupted between the demonstrators and the police, leading to widespread chaos and unrest in the streets of Chicago.