In the early morning hours of April 30, 1968, then-Columbia University President Grayson Kirk summoned the NYPD to arrest hundreds of student protestors. About 1,000 police officers arrived on campus and, wielding nightsticks, violently arrested about 700 students. Almost 150 protesters ended up in the hospital with
Unfortunately, the protest against Israel's actions against Palestinians, especially the destruction in Gaza that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent people and children has morphed not only into anti-Semitism but also into extreme anti-American rhetoric in some places [Michigan, where protestors are chanting "Death to America"]. We are all witnessing the dangers of protest when it turns from peaceful to expressions of hatred. Missing in Judd's article appears to be how the Columbia U. protestors have harassed the Jewish students who were simply walking to get to their classes--this was experienced as disruption of University functioning. This article shows no examples of any harassment so maybe the harrassment came from students who were not part of the peaceful encampment. So important to proceed investigation without bias, but with any proof.
My understanding from a student who attends Columbia currently is Jewish students are leaving campus because they feel unsafe. There have also been documented cases of hate rhetoric used against Jewish students during these protests. You should investigate that too.
Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA) told Shakik that, in the Bible, God is "real clear" that "if you bless Israel, I will bless you" and "if you curse Israel, I will curse you." Allen asked Shakik if she wanted "Columbia University to be cursed by God?"
Get this piece of trash out of government. Who gives a flying crap what "the bible says". Get religious zealots out of government.
A comment from John Marshall: On the broader point of the situation at Columbia. It's important to know who's doing what. Students vs hangers-on, activists from off campus etc. But let's not kid ourselves. Think abt this situation from the perspective of a minority group you actually care about.
Students can't and shouldn't be expected to know that the person who just told them to go back to Poland or that the next Oct 7th will get them wasn't a student. And does it matter that much whether it's just inside or outside the gate? Columbia merges into the rest of the neighborhood. And really who cares if it's a student? We're talking about a climate of harassment where there are clearly a substantial number of people making wildly antisemitic and menacing comments, especially to students who are identifiably Jewish or ones who express opinions which don't cut it with the protestors. (Which seems, in many case, like basically anything short of Jewish Israelis evacuating to their non-existent "other countries".)
I completely buy that there are many pro-Palestinian protestors who aren't saying any of these things and are engaged in legitimate protest. Probably most. But that's not really a rebuttal. How many Charlottesville tiki torch dudes wilding around campus is too many. Just a few are too many, I'd say. If just a few of your fellow protestors are running after black folks and calling them the n-word. Too many. And something like that is clearly happening. Just with different costumes and arriving at the same place on a different ideological path.
The argument posited here has merit but is poorly received in light of recent increased attacks verbal and physical on Jewish students on the Columbia campus. Jewish students have now been told to leave the campus for their own safety. These protests are no longer peaceful and must be condemned. What is being shouted by protestors is not pro-Palestinian but shear hate speech. This sort of hate speech would not be tolerated against any other group.
I’m not down with this take. Sorry but I saw videos of the protestors calling for death to Israel. Just because there wasn’t physical violence doesn’t mean that their message wasn’t crystal clear, and Jewish students who are completely innocent feel scared for their lives.
This is yet another piece by Judd Legum about (or emanating out of) the Israel/Hamas war that is wildly off the mark. One need only go to Instagram for two seconds to see the multiple layers of harassment of Jewish students on Columbia and other campuses. From wishful thinking about martydom to Al Qassam Brigades, these protests have absolutely nothing to do with freeing Palestine (nor hostages for that matter, some of whom are American), and everything to do with the specific targeting of one minority group, of which there are only 15mm (remaining) in the entire world. We are saddened to see that Judd -- who has shown a demonstrable talent for deep dive research into nuanced situations -- is putting out this sophomoric drivel.
Judd - you seriously missed the mark here. Students who are clearly identified as Jews are being threatened and harassed at both Columbia and Yale. They are NOT being protected by their universities. Do a deeper dive. This article shows a callous disregard for the historical trauma the tiny Jewish population has endured over millennia let alone within the century as well as the current day
I appreciate your perspective and bringing to light the historical context about Columbia University’s response to protestors but I feel like there is an important context missing from your investigation, which is the experience of Jewish students on campus. Would you please do a follow up report that looks into the credible reports of anti-Jewish rhetoric and harassment of Columbia students by these protestors? I want to understand the full situation and feel like this was not explored at all, but rather dismissed. Violence and intimidation do not need to be physical to be real or to have serious impacts that cross a line. Help us understand the full reality of what is going on.
Also, I am grateful for this community and the courtesy with which most of the commentors (and you) have responded to criticism and different viewpoints. It is heartening that we can disagree and ask each other to think more deeply without the rancor and disrespect that I sometimes see.
From the moment Oct. 7 attack happened to this moment in time consequences associated with the Hamas attack and the Israeli response in Gaza have been horrifying. No Jewish student at Columbia or anywhere nor a child in Gaza should fear for their lives because of who they are.
The guilty parties are those who use this situation to benefit lust for power, wealth and advance agendas.
How do you report on hatred so great that it has existed for millenia? I will repeat my tired old stance of experience. All of our Jewish relatives that remained in the Austria-Poland region perished in the Holocaust in a systematic, horrific annihilation of 6 million of them by Nazi Germany.
Dead children, along with thousands of civilians dead facing famine besides war, and rubble where their homes stood. Gaza being systematically destroyed by Netanyahu and IDF. Not one country in the middle east has truly stood up for Palestine.
Congress just gave 27 billion in aid to Israel on Friday. I scratch my head.
I am reading comments by others pertaining to this article. There is a problem in that there seem to be conflicts about whether this protest of treatment of Palestinians in Gaza has now crossed a line and has now gone over to antisemitism.
For the first time, I am concerned about what Popular Information has published. Popular Information may want to look again at how the protests have evolved and who the players really are. Unfortunately, protests, especially with the amount of conspiracy and lies floating around online can morph into an unintended consequence.
Incidents like this illustrate why the Democrats are losing young people and others who are still young at heart. Obviously the GOP are way worse, but older generations’ continued uncritical support of Israel and conflation of pro-Palestinian protest with anti-semitism exposes party leaders and like-minded elites (like university presidents) as completely out of touch. This could be fateful for Biden, and thus for the whole country, if more people come to believe neither party represents their interests and values.
My granddaughter has left Barnard, fearing for her own safety and refusing to walk through a campus where antisemitism has become, for many, an acceptable form of social protest. Spend some time on campus and see for yourself what it’s like for Jewish students. This is no atmosphere for learning; it turned toxic when protests about Israel’s actions in Gaza (which many Jewish students, including my granddaughter, abhor) have morphed into full blown antisemitism. Or maybe, it’s sad to say, the antisemitism was there all along and only needed an excuse to come out into the open.
I’ve heard credible reports of indentifiably Jewish students walking past the Columbia protests being yelled at “you should kill yourself”. That’s conscious hate speech with a smug subtitle of ‘hey, no threat by me, just an opinion’. The fact that there are Jews participating in some of the antiJewish hate is sad, not redeeming. Many people who would not tolerate such threats and hatred against any other minority are enacting them against Jews. It’s horrible. And there is no action by any government that justifies any of it.
Unfortunately, the protest against Israel's actions against Palestinians, especially the destruction in Gaza that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent people and children has morphed not only into anti-Semitism but also into extreme anti-American rhetoric in some places [Michigan, where protestors are chanting "Death to America"]. We are all witnessing the dangers of protest when it turns from peaceful to expressions of hatred. Missing in Judd's article appears to be how the Columbia U. protestors have harassed the Jewish students who were simply walking to get to their classes--this was experienced as disruption of University functioning. This article shows no examples of any harassment so maybe the harrassment came from students who were not part of the peaceful encampment. So important to proceed investigation without bias, but with any proof.
My understanding from a student who attends Columbia currently is Jewish students are leaving campus because they feel unsafe. There have also been documented cases of hate rhetoric used against Jewish students during these protests. You should investigate that too.
Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA) told Shakik that, in the Bible, God is "real clear" that "if you bless Israel, I will bless you" and "if you curse Israel, I will curse you." Allen asked Shakik if she wanted "Columbia University to be cursed by God?"
Get this piece of trash out of government. Who gives a flying crap what "the bible says". Get religious zealots out of government.
A comment from John Marshall: On the broader point of the situation at Columbia. It's important to know who's doing what. Students vs hangers-on, activists from off campus etc. But let's not kid ourselves. Think abt this situation from the perspective of a minority group you actually care about.
Students can't and shouldn't be expected to know that the person who just told them to go back to Poland or that the next Oct 7th will get them wasn't a student. And does it matter that much whether it's just inside or outside the gate? Columbia merges into the rest of the neighborhood. And really who cares if it's a student? We're talking about a climate of harassment where there are clearly a substantial number of people making wildly antisemitic and menacing comments, especially to students who are identifiably Jewish or ones who express opinions which don't cut it with the protestors. (Which seems, in many case, like basically anything short of Jewish Israelis evacuating to their non-existent "other countries".)
I completely buy that there are many pro-Palestinian protestors who aren't saying any of these things and are engaged in legitimate protest. Probably most. But that's not really a rebuttal. How many Charlottesville tiki torch dudes wilding around campus is too many. Just a few are too many, I'd say. If just a few of your fellow protestors are running after black folks and calling them the n-word. Too many. And something like that is clearly happening. Just with different costumes and arriving at the same place on a different ideological path.
The argument posited here has merit but is poorly received in light of recent increased attacks verbal and physical on Jewish students on the Columbia campus. Jewish students have now been told to leave the campus for their own safety. These protests are no longer peaceful and must be condemned. What is being shouted by protestors is not pro-Palestinian but shear hate speech. This sort of hate speech would not be tolerated against any other group.
I’m not down with this take. Sorry but I saw videos of the protestors calling for death to Israel. Just because there wasn’t physical violence doesn’t mean that their message wasn’t crystal clear, and Jewish students who are completely innocent feel scared for their lives.
Thank you for excellent journalism. It is insane the number of people reporting there was violence-when it’s clear there was not!
This is yet another piece by Judd Legum about (or emanating out of) the Israel/Hamas war that is wildly off the mark. One need only go to Instagram for two seconds to see the multiple layers of harassment of Jewish students on Columbia and other campuses. From wishful thinking about martydom to Al Qassam Brigades, these protests have absolutely nothing to do with freeing Palestine (nor hostages for that matter, some of whom are American), and everything to do with the specific targeting of one minority group, of which there are only 15mm (remaining) in the entire world. We are saddened to see that Judd -- who has shown a demonstrable talent for deep dive research into nuanced situations -- is putting out this sophomoric drivel.
Judd - you seriously missed the mark here. Students who are clearly identified as Jews are being threatened and harassed at both Columbia and Yale. They are NOT being protected by their universities. Do a deeper dive. This article shows a callous disregard for the historical trauma the tiny Jewish population has endured over millennia let alone within the century as well as the current day
I appreciate your perspective and bringing to light the historical context about Columbia University’s response to protestors but I feel like there is an important context missing from your investigation, which is the experience of Jewish students on campus. Would you please do a follow up report that looks into the credible reports of anti-Jewish rhetoric and harassment of Columbia students by these protestors? I want to understand the full situation and feel like this was not explored at all, but rather dismissed. Violence and intimidation do not need to be physical to be real or to have serious impacts that cross a line. Help us understand the full reality of what is going on.
Also, I am grateful for this community and the courtesy with which most of the commentors (and you) have responded to criticism and different viewpoints. It is heartening that we can disagree and ask each other to think more deeply without the rancor and disrespect that I sometimes see.
From the moment Oct. 7 attack happened to this moment in time consequences associated with the Hamas attack and the Israeli response in Gaza have been horrifying. No Jewish student at Columbia or anywhere nor a child in Gaza should fear for their lives because of who they are.
The guilty parties are those who use this situation to benefit lust for power, wealth and advance agendas.
How do you report on hatred so great that it has existed for millenia? I will repeat my tired old stance of experience. All of our Jewish relatives that remained in the Austria-Poland region perished in the Holocaust in a systematic, horrific annihilation of 6 million of them by Nazi Germany.
Dead children, along with thousands of civilians dead facing famine besides war, and rubble where their homes stood. Gaza being systematically destroyed by Netanyahu and IDF. Not one country in the middle east has truly stood up for Palestine.
Congress just gave 27 billion in aid to Israel on Friday. I scratch my head.
What is the answer?
Who benefits from hate and destruction so great.
I am reading comments by others pertaining to this article. There is a problem in that there seem to be conflicts about whether this protest of treatment of Palestinians in Gaza has now crossed a line and has now gone over to antisemitism.
For the first time, I am concerned about what Popular Information has published. Popular Information may want to look again at how the protests have evolved and who the players really are. Unfortunately, protests, especially with the amount of conspiracy and lies floating around online can morph into an unintended consequence.
Incidents like this illustrate why the Democrats are losing young people and others who are still young at heart. Obviously the GOP are way worse, but older generations’ continued uncritical support of Israel and conflation of pro-Palestinian protest with anti-semitism exposes party leaders and like-minded elites (like university presidents) as completely out of touch. This could be fateful for Biden, and thus for the whole country, if more people come to believe neither party represents their interests and values.
Awful lot of heat in this comment section.
I think you did a good job with the writing and reporting though, keep up the good work and stay safe please.
My granddaughter has left Barnard, fearing for her own safety and refusing to walk through a campus where antisemitism has become, for many, an acceptable form of social protest. Spend some time on campus and see for yourself what it’s like for Jewish students. This is no atmosphere for learning; it turned toxic when protests about Israel’s actions in Gaza (which many Jewish students, including my granddaughter, abhor) have morphed into full blown antisemitism. Or maybe, it’s sad to say, the antisemitism was there all along and only needed an excuse to come out into the open.
I’ve heard credible reports of indentifiably Jewish students walking past the Columbia protests being yelled at “you should kill yourself”. That’s conscious hate speech with a smug subtitle of ‘hey, no threat by me, just an opinion’. The fact that there are Jews participating in some of the antiJewish hate is sad, not redeeming. Many people who would not tolerate such threats and hatred against any other minority are enacting them against Jews. It’s horrible. And there is no action by any government that justifies any of it.