Inside Columbia's new battle against Pro-Hamas thugs
Columbia issues stern rebuke and punishment to masked protesters who disrupted a Jewish History class at Columbia.
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Columbia University has barred several masked individuals from campus after they stormed a class on Israeli history last week, spreading antisemitic materials and pro-Hamas rhetoric.
"We've identified two additional participants from an outside institution," Columbia's public affairs office announced this week. "These individuals have been banned from campus and their home institutions have been notified for further disciplinary action."
The incident unfolded during Professor Avi Shilon's "History of Modern Israel" course on the first day of the new semester. The protesters, faces concealed by keffiyehs, burst into the classroom, filmed themselves reading prepared statements that denounced the course as "Zionist and imperialist" and a "normalization of genocide." They scattered flyers featuring an image of a boot poised to crush a Star of David, with text reading "Crush Zionism."
The disruption sparked immediate backlash. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce issued a warning, while Columbia professor Shai Davidai called for "strong action." Shilon himself, writing for Ynetnews, described the unsettling moment: "Having just arrived in New York days before, I initially thought they were terrorists when I saw the masked men. The students sat frozen, either frightened or disturbed."
Columbia has since suspended one student involved in the incident. Interim president Katrina Armstrong indicated the university may request NYPD assistance to maintain campus security.
"Recent events have shown our community faces ongoing risks of disruption, particularly from outside agitators," Armstrong said. "We must ensure everyone feels safe and can fully participate in our academic mission."
This incident follows criticism of Columbia's handling of previous anti-Zionist protests. Last year, the House Education Committee revealed that most students disciplined for occupying an administrative building and creating unsafe conditions for Jewish students had their punishments quietly reversed, with 18 of 22 charged students and 31 of 35 suspended students being restored to "good standing."
The university now operates under increased scrutiny following a June 2024 civil settlement requiring it to protect Jewish students' civil rights. The agreement mandated hiring a "Safe Passage Liaison" to monitor protests and provide walking escorts for students feeling threatened, along with implementing new security measures and academic accommodations for students affected by campus unrest.
Algemeiner contributed to this article.