The Columbia campus appears to have been taken over by the pro-Hamas kill the Jews crowd among the student body. Jessica Costescu rounds up the news in the Washington Free Beacon story “Columbia University Campus Unravels in Face of Escalating Anti-Semitic, Eliminationist Protests.” The New York Post reports “New anti-Israel tent city takes over Columbia University lawn days after NYPD raid as activists vow to stay ‘forever.’” In other words, the takeover continues.
The New York Post cover story relates the call of Rabbi Elie Buechler to seek safety off campus. Rabbi Buechler is Director of the Orthodox Union-Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus at Columbia/Barnard Hillel.
In a long roundup of its own yesterday evening, the Columbia Spectator quotes Rabbi Buechler’s group chat with 290 students: “The events of the past few days, especially last night, have made it clear that Columbia University’s Public Safety and the NYPD cannot guarantee Jewish students’ safety in the face of extreme antisemitism and anarchy.” More: “It deeply pains me to say that I would strongly recommend you return home as soon as possible and remain home until the reality in and around campus has dramatically improved,” Buechler wrote. “It is not our job as Jews to ensure our own safety on campus.”
The Spectator quotes a Columbia spokesman: “As President Shafik has said repeatedly, the safety of our community is our number one priority. Columbia students have the right to protest, but they are not allowed to disrupt campus life or harass and intimidate fellow students and members of our community. We are acting on concerns we are hearing from our Jewish students and are providing additional support and resources to ensure that our community remains safe.”
You have to draw on Twitter to get a true sense of what is happening. The tweet below provides just one of many examples.
Why are my friends and I being run off our own campus? We are not moving. pic.twitter.com/2T5JLSI0OH
— Jessica Schwalb (@jessicaschwalb7) April 22, 2024
Students of ancient history may think of analogues.
Nazis block Jews from entering the University of Vienna. Austria, 1938. pic.twitter.com/y5dayh4Q1a
— Blake Flayton (@blakeflayton) April 22, 2024
What is going on here?
Columbia’s Hamas supporters are conducting a massive hatefest that has been tolerated by university authorities.
The hatefest is anti-Semitic in nature. It is full of anti-Semitic threats and harassment.
University President Shafik is guilty of abdicating her authority.
Civilizational constraints are conspicuous by their absence.
Law enforcement must be called in immediately to restore order.
The university has been gripped by a raving madness inimical to its mission as an educational institution.
Classes are to be held remotely today (more here).
To adapt a line from Cool Hand Luke, what we’ve got here is failure to excommunicate.
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