GOP Rep. Mike Lawler from New York stressed the need for consequences for those involved in the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.
Lawler mentioned that there are consequences to actions, and calling for the eradication of Jews while expecting everything to be okay is not okay, even if it's considered free speech.
Lawler was responding to comments made by Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who was one of over 100 students arrested for participating in cease-fire protests at Columbia.
Hirsi was also among three students suspended from Barnard College, cutting off her access to food and housing. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Hirsi said she has been “basically evicted” after the suspension and is concerned about her food access as she relies on her dining plan for meals.
Pro-Palestinian protests have been ongoing for six days at Columbia University, with hundreds of students occupying the center of campus in protest of the ongoing violence in Gaza. They are calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war and a halt in U.S. military aid to Israel.
Columbia administrators, led by university President Minouche Shafik, authorized New York police last week to arrest students involved in the protests, leading to further tensions on campus.
Lawler was one of 10 House Republicans from New York to call on Shafik to resign, arguing that Columbia’s campus has been overtaken by “anarchy.”
Lawler stated that the president of Columbia needs to resign immediately because students' safety and well-being were compromised.
The ongoing protests raised concerns about the safety of Jewish students, and as a result, Columbia moved classes online in advance of the start of the Jewish holiday Passover.
Antisemitism has been increasing since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, even though many of the protesting students are Jewish. Several protest groups have pushed back against descriptions of their protests as antisemitic.
In response to the calls for Shafik to resign, Lawler stated that the terrorist attack on October 7 was rooted in Gaza's teaching of hatred towards Jews and desire to kill them.
He also highlighted that antisemitism is becoming evident on campuses, particularly at Columbia University, and institutions have allowed it to happen. He mentioned that if this were a protest against racism, gay people, or immigrants, the institution would act swiftly to address it.
After Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, House leaders initiated investigations into college campuses’ responses to increasing antisemitism. Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were among the institutions being investigated. were questioned intensively by the House Education Committee in December. Their answers caused negative reaction, leading two of the three school leaders to step down.
In response to the criticisms of Columbia’s administration, Shafik stated Monday in a declaration that she is “very unhappy” about the campus protests.
“The level of our disagreements has only gotten louder in recent days,” she said. “These tensions have been used and increased by individuals who are not part of Columbia who have come to campus to pursue their own goals. We need a reset.”
The Hill contacted Columbia University for additional comment.
