By Casey Harper (The Middle Sq.)
Professional-Hamas demonstrations on school campuses have develop into more and more intense, and even violent in latest days, pushing lawmakers to name for a change.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., despatched a letter this week to the Columbia College Board of Trustees with an ultimatum: “take action against antisemitism or lose federal funding.”
“The anti-Israel mobs that have taken over Columbia University in New York City are as disturbing as they are un-American,” Scott mentioned within the letter. “Jewish students no longer feel safe on Columbia’s campus given the persistent threats of violence. One student was assaulted by a pro-Hamas demonstrator over the weekend. This is not a peaceful demonstration supporting a social or civil cause.”
Scott’s letter comes after a Jewish scholar on Yale’s campus was reportedly stabbed within the eye by a Palestinian flag at a pro-Hamas demonstration. New York College college students and college carried out a walk-out to protest the pro-Hamas protests. Police arrested about 150 pro-Hamas protesters at NYU and Yale, in response to media studies.
New England Patriots group proprietor Robert Kraft publicly introduced he was ending his donations to Columbia over the antisemitic protests.
The on-campus protests kicked off after the Hamas terror group invaded Israel Oct. 7 and killed over 1,000 folks, together with many civilians, a few of whom had been additionally raped, in addition to kids who had been killed by Hamas. Israel has responded with a chronic bombing of Gaza, focusing on Hamas members. Now, although, Iran and Israel have exchanged fireplace, escalating tensions within the area.
As The Middle Sq. beforehand reported, video of the protests on Columbia’s campus present protesters chanting requires violence.
- “We say justice, you say how? Burn Tel Aviv to the ground!”
- “Hamas we love you. We support your rockets too!”
- “Red, black, green, and white, we support Hamas’ fight!”
- “It is right to rebel, let Hamas give them hell!”
Scott has, together with U.S. Sen. Tim Scott., R-S.C., launched the Cease Antisemitism on Faculty Campuses Act, which might finish federal funding for schools and universities “that support, authorize, or facilitate events that promote antisemitism.”
“As members of the Board of Trustees for Columbia University, you must use the power of your position to demand action from the administration, or remove the current leadership and put in place an administration that will ensure the safety of your students. If you fail to do this, Congress will act,” the letter mentioned. “We will not sit silently while American students are threatened by terrorist sympathizers that call for the eradication of Jewish people and the destruction of Israel.”
In the same transfer, a coalition of senators despatched a letter to the Biden administration calling on the U.S. Division of Justice and the Division of Training to revive order on the campuses.
“You need to take action to restore order and protect Jewish students on our college campuses,” the letter mentioned. “President Biden issued a statement on Sunday, purporting to condemn the outbreak of anti-Semitism. If that statement was serious, it must be accompanied by immediate action from your departments.”
Home Speaker Mike Johnson referred to as on the president of Columbia College to resign for shutting down courses after letting pro-Hamas protests get out of hand, the newest improvement in chaos unfolding on campuses nationwide.
Johnson joined Jewish college students on Columbia’s campus and referred to as on Columbia College President Minouche Shafik to resign, calling her a “weak leader.”
“They cannot even guarantee the safety of Jewish students?” Johnson mentioned on the Hugh Hewitt present. “They’re anticipated to run for his or her lives and keep dwelling from class? It’s maddening. …
“What we’re seeing on these school campuses throughout the nation is disgusting and unacceptable, and each chief, each political official, each citizen of fine conscience has to talk out and say that this isn’t who we’re in America, and we’ve received to have accountability, and that’s what me and my colleagues are going to be engaged on.
Even Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to as out the antisemitism on American campuses.
“Anti-Semitism on campuses in the United States is reminiscent of what happened in German universities in the 1930s,” he mentioned in a submit on X, previously often called Twitter. “The world cannot stand idly by.”
Columbia College didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Syndicated with permission from The Middle Sq..
