The daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MI), Isra Hirsi, appears to have been arrested at Columbia University after she was suspended from Barnard College for refusing to leave the anti-Israel encampment, according to photos posted to X.
Photos posted to X show Hirsi being arrested by several NYPD officers. The same user, who claims to be affiliated with Barnard, posted pictures of several protesters being removed by the New York Police Department, as well as the tents they erected being removed.
It felt really really horrific to be standing by and watching students, so so many of whom I knew, being arrested.
Here’s Isra Hirsi. pic.twitter.com/GuhjJeN15w— Shayoni Mitra (@ShayoniMitra) April 18, 2024
According to the New York Post, over 100 students were arrested at the campus encampment on Thursday.
Hirsi announced that she was suspended from Columbia’s partner school, Barnard College for participating in the protest.
“I’m an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP, in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege i have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings,” Hirsi tweeted. “I just received notice that i am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.”
In a follow-up tweet, Hirsi admitted that she took part in the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment,” which consists of protesters with tents occupying part of the university’s campus, a violation of school rules.
“Those of us in Gaza Solidarity Encampment will not be intimidated,” Hirsi said. “We will stand resolute until our demands are met. our demands include divestment from companies complicit in genocide, transparency of @Columbia’s investments and FULL amnesty for all students facing repression.”
Barnard College released a statement confirming that students were suspended and more will be if they refuse to leave.
“This morning, April 18, we started to place identified Barnard students remaining in the encampment on interim suspension, and we will continue to do so,” the statement by the college’s senior staff said. “We have temporarily restricted access to certain outdoor spaces on our campus.”
