Is the tide finally turning against entitled anti-Israel demonstrators?
On Thursday, Columbia President Minouche Shafik called in the NYPD to clear out hundreds of protesters who’d set up a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” on the South Lawn of Butler Library on Wednesday.
The demonstration was already out of control, with multiple protesters arrested blocking sidewalks and other disruptions, including assaulting a police officer.
Before bringing in the cops, Columbia gave students multiple warnings that they’d face punishment if they didn’t clear off and offered to discuss the protesters’ concerns if they dispersed.
“I took this extraordinary step because these are extraordinary circumstances,” said Shafik. “The individuals who established the encampment violated a long list of rules and policies.”
Indeed, testifying the day before on Columbia’s slew of hateful incidents, she told the House Education and Workforce Committee that students “are getting the message that violations of our policies will have consequences.”
We’re glad to see Shafik stand up that vow; clearly, Congress deserves some credit for putting educrats’ feet to the fire on this issue.
Academia has been handling anti-Israel demonstrations with kid gloves, sending a clear message that they’re fine even when they feature rabid antisemitism.
Students need to see administrators stand up and make it clear that antisemites don’t get a free pass to violate school policies just because they’re on the left.
Columbia’s crackdown follows Google’s axing of 28 employees who held workplace sit-in protests in New York and California over the company’s business dealings with Israel.
The company warned in an internal memo: “If you’re one of the few who are tempted to think we’re going to overlook conduct that violates our policies, think again.”
Bravo.
Let the hammer keep going down on lefty demonstrators who think they’re above the rules.
It is hard not to feel some optimism that common sense is finally returning to liberal America, even if we don’t hold out much hope.