On Monday evening, about three hours after the 2pm EST deadline passed, Columbia University finally indicated it was suspending pro-Hamas students protesting on campus. "We have begun suspending students," Ben Chang, vice president for communications and a spokesperson for Columbia University, is quoted by NBC News as saying.
Matt covered the deadline, which had been announced earlier on Monday. Even after 2pm had come and gone, though, the terrorist sympathizers doubled down on their cause, vowing to keep up their encampment. Photos also surfaced of the anti-Israel protesters' response, as they complained they weren't going to read demands from the university that they disperse or else face suspension.
"I AIN'T READING ALL THAT FREE PALESTINE," read one sign littering the ground of the encampment. Another sign even contained a threat, reading "COLUMBIA WILL BURN."
Pro-Hamas faculty members also linked arms to show their support and solidarity for such agitators.
So the 2pm deadline President Shafik gave to vacate the encampment at @Columbia has come & gone.
— Arsen Ostrovsky 🎗️ (@Ostrov_A) April 29, 2024
And the response? Faculty has formed 'human chain' & signs are seen saying 'Columbia Will Burn'.
Shafik has lost control. This is what cowardice and absence of leadership gets you! pic.twitter.com/hrVsLoQPBe
While it's welcome news that the university is finally taking action, it came approximately three hours after the deadline. Further, there's a factor of optics for the May 15 commencement ceremony.
As NBC News also mentioned [Emphasis Mine]:
President Minouche Shafik in her statement asked the protesters to voluntarily disperse, saying the demonstration had created “an unwelcoming environment for many of our Jewish students and faculty,” that “external actors” have contributed to a “hostile environment” around university gates, and that it had become a “noisy distraction” for students.
Shafik also cited the May 15 commencement, saying, “We also do not want to deprive thousands of students and their families and friends of a graduation celebration.”
...
“We regret that we need to take these actions, but we must restore order to the campus that all students can complete their work for the term, study for exams, and feel welcome in the community,” the notice said.
If the encampment isn’t removed, the notice said: “We will need to initiate disciplinary procedures because of a number of violations of university policies. These are policies you agreed to adhere to when you joined our community.”
It noted that the university would offer “an alternative venue for demonstrations after the exam period and commencement have concluded.”
These terrorist sympathizers likelydon't care about commencement when they're busy calling for the genocide of Jews and the end of the State of Israel. Further, it's noteworthy that the university is still willing to let these students protest.
Columbia University President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik has also faced heavy criticism for her response. Many Republican elected officials have also called on her to resign, as now have some Democrats. Many Democrats are also in disarray over how to handle antisemitism and pro-Hamas agitators.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who last week spoke at Columbia University to the chagrin of New York Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Gov. Kathy Hochul, also shared his outrage about the pro-Hamas protestors in his most recent post from Monday, Noting "[t]here must be consequences," Johnson called on Shafik to resign.
What continues to transpire at Columbia is an utter disgrace.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) April 29, 2024
The campus is being overrun by antisemitic students and faculty alike.
There must be consequences. President Shafik must resign. https://t.co/l1x5aRjuwS