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):

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":

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:

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."

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

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, were arrested.

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

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:

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."

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:

The student said she tried to report the attack to campus police. However, they told her that there was nothing they could do and that she should go to the hospital to get her eye checked.

Another video posted on social media shows an Orthodox Jewish student being harassed, prohibiting him from entering the university. Under school policy, protesters are prohibited from blocking access to building entrances.

Another university that has had an anti-Israel presence on campus is Northeastern University, where the facilities were vandalized. One of the buildings, named after a Boston Jewish family, was painted with the words "Free Palestine."