New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) condemned the “antisemitism being spewed at and around the Columbia University campus” in a statement Sunday, pointing to a number of examples of what he described as “hate speech” against Jews.
“I am horrified and disgusted with the antisemitism being spewed at and around the Columbia University campus,” Adams said, “like the example of a young woman holding a sign with an arrow pointing to Jewish students stating ‘Al-Qasam’s Next Targets,’ or another where a woman is literally yelling ‘We are Hamas,’ or another where groups of students are chanting ‘We don’t want no Zionists here.’”
“I condemn this hate speech in the strongest of terms,” he continued. “Supporting a terrorist organization that aims to kill Jews is sickening and despicable. As I have repeatedly said, hate has no place in our city.”
Last week, police arrested more than 100 protestors on Columbia’s campus, after an encampment of tents they set up prompted Columbia University President Minouche Shafik to enlist the help of authorities to help remove the encampment “out of an abundance of caution.”
“I have determined that the encampment and related disruptions pose a clear and present danger to the substantial functioning of the University,” Shafik wrote in a letter to the New York Police Department (NYPD) one day later. T
She said the demonstrators were informed multiple times they are not permitted to occupy the space — the South Lawn of Columbia University’s Morningside Heights Campus — but have “refused” to disperse or comply with school administrators.
“I regret that all of these attempts to resolve the situation were rejected by the students involved. As a result, NYPD officers are now on campus and the process of clearing the encampment is underway,” she said in an update.
Adams said on Sunday he has instructed the NYPD “to investigate any violation of law that is reported,” and said officers will “not hesitate to arrest anyone who is found to be breaking the law.”
He made clear, however, that the NYPD only responds when there is a specific request by senior university officials, noting Columbia is a private campus.
He said there is an “increased presence” of NYPD officers around campus “to protect students and all New Yorkers on nearby public streets,” adding that officials stand ready to respond if another request is made by the university, such as last week, “when the NYPD successfully cleared encampments on Columbia’s South Lawn without any injuries.”
Adams’ statement comes amid ongoing tensions on campus and increased concerns for Jewish students’ safety, especially as the Jewish holiday of Passover begins Monday night.
Shafik announced classes would be held virtually on Monday, in an effort “to deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps.”
The president’s announcement followed a reported call from one campus rabbi for Jewish students to return home “as soon as possible,” citing safety concerns for Jewish students.
“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. 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,” a rabbi for the Orthodox community at Columbia/Barnard told students in a WhatsApp message, CNN anchor Jake Tapper reported on Sunday.
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