How Anti-Israel Protests Brought An Ivy College To Its Knees And Ensnared US Politician Ilhan Omar's Daughter

More than 100 pro-Palestinian student protesters were arrested by police at New York’s Columbia University Thursday, a day after the president of the prestigious school was grilled in US Congress over accusations of anti-Semitism on campus.

The students were calling for the school, which has an exchange program with Tel Aviv University, to boycott all activities associated with Israel in the wake of Gaza war. Jewish students at the university applauded the removal of anti-Israel protesters who were camping out in tents on campus Thursday, saying the unruly demonstration made them fear for their safety.

Anti-Israel, Pro-Hamas Protest

“It makes me feel safer. It makes me feel like the administration is finally implementing their policies and the truth is, today of all days, it looks like everyone who supports their cause — the anti-Israel, pro-Hamas cause — came out of the crevices and it’s a lot of people,” sophomore Jonny Lederer told the New York Post. According to The New York Times, the daughter of US politician Ilhan Omar was among those detained and she has been ordered to appear in court.

Daughter of Ilhan Omar

Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar revealed Thursday that she has been suspended from Barnard College over her involvement in disruptive anti-Israel protests on Columbia University’s Morningside campus.

“I just received notice that I am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide,” the 21-year-old wrote on X. University president Nemat Shafik requested police intervention to disperse the protesters, who she said had violated campus security regulations.

October 7 Hamas attack

Universities have become the focus of intense cultural debate in the United States since the October 7 Hamas attack and Israel’s responding bombardment of Gaza, as many students’ pro-Palestinian sentiments drew accusations of anti-Semitism. Congressional Republicans have taken up the issue, calling the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University to testify, and Harvard’s president Claudine Gay resigned shortly after.

Columbia said it had started to suspend students who had participated in the tent encampment, considered an unauthorized protest. “We are continuing to identify them and will be sending out formal notifications,” a university spokesperson said by email to news agency Reuters. At least three students, including Isra Hirsi, have received suspension notices from Barnard College, an affiliate of Columbia, for participating in the encampment, the pro-Palestinian advocacy group Institute for Middle East Understanding said.

Reminiscent of Vietnam War

The clash, reminiscent of the demonstrations against the Vietnam War at Columbia more than 50 years ago, is the latest in a series of demonstrations disrupting university campuses, bridges and airports since the latest escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on Oct. 7. Alongside the proliferations of protests, human rights advocates, have also pointed to a rise in bias and hate against Jews, Arabs and Muslims in recent months.

The congressional committee on Wednesday accused Shafik of failing to protect Jewish students on campus, echoing accusations leveled against three other elite university leaders at a hearing last year that sent shockwaves through higher education. She responded by saying the university was facing a “moral crisis” with antisemitism on campus, and Columbia had taken strong actions against suspected perpetrators.

(With agency inputs)