From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Columbia’s main campus moves to hybrid learning for rest of semester amid anti-Israel protests
Columbia University’s main campus switches to hybrid learning for the rest of the semester as pro-Palestinian protests against Israel continue to roil the educational institution.
“Safety is our highest priority as we strive to support our students’ learning and all the required academic operations,” the Ivy League university’s provost, Angela V. Olinto, and chief operating officer, Cas Holloway, say in a statement.
The protests have drawn national attention — including from the White House — after video from weekend demonstrations showed protesters making antisemitic comments and calling for more attacks like the devastating one on October 7 that Hamas carried out against Israel.
America we have a problem
“Al-Qassam, you make us proud, take another soldier out”
“We say justice, you say how? Burn Tel Aviv to the ground”
“Hamas, we love you. We support your rockets too”
Extremists at @Columbia chant in support for Hamas terror.
— David Saranga (@DavidSaranga) April 21, 2024
The students set up a protest encampment in the center of campus last week as Columbia’s president, Minouche Shafik, addressed a congressional investigative committee on antisemitism. The university called in the NYPD to clear the unauthorized demonstration, charging more than 100 students with trespassing and further inflaming campus tensions.
Yesterday, an outspoken Israeli professor was blocked from entering a portion of the Columbia University campus and Jewish members of Congress have demanded action from the administration. Many Jewish students have reportedly left campus due to safety concerns, as well as the Passover holiday.
The encampment protests have now spread to other universities in recent days, including Manhattan’s New School and New York University, Yale and the University of Michigan.
