Jewish alumni to Columbia president: ‘If you can’t stop the masked mobs, have the NYPD do it’

The Columbia Jewish Alumni Association expresses “urgency and profound concern regarding the safety of Jewish students,” amid days of unrest and anti-Israel action at the New York City university.

“Jewish students are openly threatened and harassed and the administration’s response thus far has been grossly inadequate,” the alumni association writes in a letter to Columbia’s president, Nemat Shafik.

The group calls on the president to address threats to Jewish students on campus, which has seen large anti-Israel protests since war erupted in Gaza on October 7, when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 253.

“Now, more than ever, is the time to demonstrate true leadership: enforce the university rules with regard to protests and harassment and restore order and safety on campus. If you cannot stop the masked mobs, please have the NYPD do it,” the letter continues.

The group also mentions a letter Columbia’s Rabbi Elie Beuchler sent to Jewish students urging them to stay away from campus until it is deemed safe again.