Antisemitic violence flares up at the country's most prestigious universities: Authorities 'cannot guarantee Jewish students’ safety'

Antisemitic violence is increasing and spreading at Ivy League schools. Columbia University President Minouche Shafik announced in a statement that all classes would be held remotely Monday in an effort to "deescalate the rancor" witnessed in recent days (when anti-Israel protesters took over the campus, causing fear and threatening Jewish students):

To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday. Faculty and staff who can work remotely should do so; essential personnel should report to work according to university policy. Our preference is that students who do not live on campus will not come to campus.

Shafik's statements follow those from Elie Buechler, a rabbi at the Orthodox Union Jewish Learning Initiative at Columbia University, who asked the university's Jewish students not to attend campus and stay home due to the risk of being attacked, after being threatened in anti-Israel protests.

Buechler sent a message to students stating that the violent protests at the university "have made it clear that Columbia University’s Public Safety and the NYPD cannot guarantee Jewish students’ safety":

It pains me deeply to say that I strongly recommend that you return home as soon as possible and stay home until the reality on and around campus has improved dramatically ... It is not our job as Jews to ensure our own safety on campus. No one should have to endure this level of hatred, let alone at school.

Jewish professor prevented from entering the university

Despite announcements by university authorities, the atmosphere at Columbia remains tense. Campus police prohibited the entry and deactivated key card of Jewish business school professor School Shai Davidai, who was on his way to enter the campus through the place occupied by the anti-Israeli students:

They are not letting me on main campus. I was just told by [Columbia COO Cas Holloway] that I am [to be] let on the campus of the business school where I’m teaching tomorrow. ... So they are willing to use Jewish brains, but they don’t want to let Jewish people in.

JUST IN: Jewish Columbia professor Shai Davidai says his key card to enter the school has been deactivated as anti-Israel protesters take over the school.

Davidai blasted the school for wanting Jewish brains, but not Jewish people.

“They are not letting me on main campus. But… pic.twitter.com/QTbaaZqIDp

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 22, 2024

Violent antisemitic demonstrations at Columbia

The statements come after learning that the rabbi and some students had to leave the university for their own safety during a pro-Hamas demonstration on Shabbat.

During the protests, violent students have chanted anti-Israel slogans, threatened Jewish students with violence and prevented many of them from entering their own university. Some videos on social media show students shouting: "Never forget the seventh of October," and, "That will happen not one more time, not five more times, not 10 more times, not 100 more times, not 1,000 more times, but 10,000 times!" Protesters were also heard chanting, "We are Hamas" and, "We don’t want no Zionists here."

This is the scene at Columbia University right now. A literal cult is occupying the campus. Remember: We all paid their student debt.

pic.twitter.com/ZqMk88V9vu

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) April 22, 2024

Other posts show signs that say "Al-Qasam's [sic.] next targets" while pointing to Jewish students.

NYC - help ID Jihadi Jane. https://t.co/KjfWZhaPtM pic.twitter.com/3HZ4wjWXX8

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) April 21, 2024

Antisemitic students had set up an encampment in more than 60 tents on campus last week. In a raid by the New York Police Department, trying to disperse the group, around 108 students were arrested.

However, after less than 24 hours, dozens of students returned to the site and established a new encampment of around 30 tents.

Columbia University is now called “The People’s University of Palestine.”
Students are bringing these nuts food through the gates.

THIS IS MADNESS! pic.twitter.com/20mM2Vmsqg

— 🇺🇸ProudArmyBrat (@leslibless) April 22, 2024

 

Robert Kraft will withdraw his support for Columbia

Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots football team, announced that he plans to withdraw his support for Columbia University as a result of the wave of antisemitism on campus.

In a statement issued by the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, an organization founded and directed by Kraft, the philanthropist said: "It was through the full academic scholarship Columbia gave me that I was able to attend college and get my start in life and for that I have been tremendously grateful ... However, the school that I love so much, the one that welcomed me and provided me with so much opportunity, is no longer an institution I recognize."

"I am deeply saddened at the virulent hate that continues to grow on campus and throughout our country. I am no longer confident that Columbia can protect its students and staff and I am not comfortable supporting the university until corrective action is taken," Kraft added.

The businessman further called for action against antisemitism at the university.  "It is my hope that Columbia and its leadership will stand up to this hate by ending these protests immediately and will work to earn back the respect and trust of many of us who have lost faith in the institution. It is my hope that in this difficult time, the Kraft Center at Columbia will serve as a source of security and safety for all Jewish students and faculty on campus who want to gather peacefully to practice their religions, to be together and to be welcomed," he said.

Authorities respond

New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement in response to the violent protests at Columbia. Adams said he was "horrified and disgusted with the antisemitism being spewed at and around the Columbia University campus," and said that the city's police department has an "increased presence of officers around the campus to protect students and all New Yorkers on nearby public streets."

However, regarding the safety of students on campus, the mayor said: "I do, however, want to be abundantly clear: Columbia University is a private institution on private property, which means the NYPD cannot have a presence on campus unless specifically requested by senior university officials."

On the other hand, New York Governor Katy Hochul condemned the threats to the Jewish community on her X account:

The First Amendment protects the right to protest but students also have a right to learn in an environment free from harassment or violence.

At Columbia or on any campus, threatening Jewish students with violence or glorifying the terror of October 7 is antisemitism.

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) April 21, 2024

Antisemitic presence at Ivy League universities

Columbia is just one of the Ivy League universities that has seen antisemitic violence. At Yale University, police stormed the campus and made more than 45 arrests. Officers warned rioters who were trying to mimic the encampment set up at Columbia: "If you do not leave, you will be arrested."

#VIDEO | La policía a los manifestantes pro palestinos en Yale: “Si no os vais, seréis arrestados”. pic.twitter.com/cHGrAv7eft

— VOZ (@VozMediaUSA) April 22, 2024

Previously, another violent event took place at Yale, when a Jewish journalism student named Sahar Tartak who was reporting on an anti-Israel protest was stabbed in the eye with a Palestinian flag. According to her statements to The New York Post:

There’s hundreds of people taunting me and waving the middle finger at me, and then this person waves a Palestinian flag in my face and jabs it in my eye. ... When I tried to yell and go after him, the protesters got in a line and stopped me.