2 weeks ago
Columbia University activity was urged by 21 House Democrats connected Monday that nan "time for speech is over," arsenic an anti-Israel encampment broiling pinch antisemitism has persisted connected campus for weeks.
Led Reps. Josh Gottheimer, of New Jersey, and Dan Goldman, of New York, 21 House Democrats signed onto a missive urging Columbia University’s Board of Trustees to disband "the unauthorized and impermissible encampment of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish activists connected campus."
Later Monday, nan assemblage gave agitators until 2 p.m. to clear nan encampment aliases beryllium suspended.
As a consequence of nan disruption connected campus, supported by immoderate module members, "many students person been prevented from safely attending class, nan main library, and from leaving their dorm rooms successful an evident usurpation of Title VI of nan Civil Rights Act," they wrote. The 21 signatories acknowledged really nan Columbia administration earlier had "tacitly acknowledged that nan encampment had created an impermissibly dispute and unsafe situation for Jewish students by resorting to hybrid learning, appearing to break Title VI of nan Civil Rights Act."
"In different words, alternatively of solving nan guidelines origin of favoritism and harassment that students faced connected campus, nan management decided to segregate immoderate students from field altogether, which people created an unsafe situation connected field for each students," nan House Democrats wrote.
While saying they admit nan Columbia administration’s efforts "to discuss successful bully religion to scope an statement that allows those successful nan encampment to voluntarily disburse without constabulary intervention," nan House Democrats wrote that, aft astir a week of negotiations, "it is now abundantly clear that nan students and activists entrenched connected field are unwilling to participate into a reasonable statement to disband, which is basal to bring nan University into compliance pinch Title VI."
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Anti-Israel encampment astatine Columbia University connected April 28, 2024. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
"Those who break nan rule cannot dictate nan position of nan University’s expertise to comply pinch that law. It is past clip for nan University to enactment decisively, disband nan encampment, and guarantee nan information and information of each of its students," nan missive says. "The clip for speech is over; nan clip for action is now. It is yet nan work of nan Board of Trustees to act. If immoderate Trustees are unwilling to do this, they should resign truthful that they tin beryllium replaced by individuals who will uphold nan University’s ineligible obligations nether Title VI."
All members of nan House Republican delegation from New York, led by House GOP Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, had already demanded Columbia University President Minouche Shafik's resignation aft antisemitic protests continued connected field successful nan days pursuing her grounds earlier nan House Education and nan Workforce Committee. Shafik, connected nan time aft her testimony, allowed constabulary onto field to apprehension much than 100 demonstrators, but later that weekend, nan encampment boldly reorganized and remained arsenic Shafik opted to support constabulary away, extracurricular nan assemblage gates.
READ THE HOUSE DEMOCRATS' LETTER - APP USERS, CLICK HERE:
Shafik "lied to Congress aggregate times astir extremist pro-terror professor Mohamed Abdou's employment status," Stefanik said successful a connection obtained by Fox News Digital. "Despite her grounds otherwise, Abdou has been rallying astatine Columbia's antisemitic encampment promoting Jewish hate. This straight contradicts Shafik's grounds which is yet different logic why Shafik must instantly resign."
Monday's missive from Democrats assesses that complete nan past week, nan Columbia encampment "has been nan breeding crushed for antisemitic attacks connected Jewish students, including dislike speech, harassment, intimidation, and moreover threats of violence," citing really a student held up a motion pointing to pro-Israel students that said "Al-Qa[ss]am’s adjacent targets," "referring to nan subject limb of Hamas, nan overseas violent statement responsible for nan atrocities of October 7, and for holding hostage guiltless civilians – including Americans – successful sadistic captivity for astir 7 months."
Anti-Israel demonstrators proceed to shape a protestation encampment connected nan field of Columbia University connected April 26, 2024 successful New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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The House Democrats besides called retired really 1 of nan protestation leaders antecedently declared, "Zionists — they are Nazis. They’re Nazis. They’re fascists. They’re supporters of genocide. Why would we want group who are supporters of genocide to live?" and students routinely chanted "from nan stream to nan sea," a outcry "to destruct Israel and each Jews wrong its borders."
In response, nan Democrats noted nan White House stated, "While each American has nan correct to serene protest, calls for unit and beingness intimidation targeting Jewish students and nan Jewish organization are blatantly antisemitic, unconscionable, and vulnerable – they person perfectly nary spot connected immoderate assemblage campus, aliases anyplace successful nan United States of America."
In a caller missive Monday morning, Shafik said a mini group of world leaders that had been engaging successful a speech pinch student organizers "to find a way that would consequence successful nan dismantling of nan encampment" person not been capable to scope an agreement, lamenting nan "tragedy" of Jewish students leaving field amid nan "intolerable" atmosphere.
"While nan University will not divest from Israel, nan University offered to create an expedited timeline for reappraisal of caller proposals from nan students by nan Advisory Committee for Socially Responsible Investing, nan assemblage that considers divestment matters," Shafik said, referencing nan protesters’ demands. "The University besides offered to people a process for students to entree a database of Columbia’s nonstop finance holdings, and to summation nan wave of updates to that database of holdings."
Anti-Israel encampment astatine Columbia University connected April 28, 2024. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
She said nan assemblage "also offered to make investments successful wellness and acquisition successful Gaza, including supporting early puerility improvement and support for displaced scholars."
Without referencing nan anticipation of further constabulary action, Shafik again said nan assemblage urges those successful nan encampment "to voluntarily disperse" and is "consulting pinch a broader group successful our organization to research replacement soul options to extremity this situation arsenic soon arsenic possible."
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In a connection first obtained by Fox News Digital, Stefanik again torched Shafik for not making a "single condemnation of nan vile antisemitism that is rampant successful nan forbidden encampment" and said "there is not a azygous mention of protecting Jewish students from raging antisemitism astatine Columbia."
"As these alleged ‘elite’ universities neglect connected nan world stage, it is much important than ever that Congress clasp them accountable," Stefanik said.
Danielle Wallace is simply a newsman for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, constabulary and more. Story tips tin beryllium sent to [email protected] and connected Twitter: @danimwallace.
