More than 500 Columbia University alumni have signed a letter thanking the school for suspending two student groups accused of spewing threats against Israel’s war on Hamas.
Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace were suspended until the end of the fall term for violating the Manhattan Ivy League institution’s policy on “threatening rhetoric and intimidation.”
The SJP was specifically accused of celebrating the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack that saw more than 1,200 people massacred in Israel and nearly 240 others taken hostage.
“While debate, advocacy and protest have always been, and must remain, central to Columbia’s DNA, recent anti-Israel and pro-Hamas demonstrations demonstrate an unacceptable ignorance of historical facts and dangerous ideological militancy,” read the letter which sent to school Monday.
“It is frightening to see student organizations at Columbia University acting in ideological lockstep with authoritarian countries, regimes, or their proxies that support terrorism, deny their citizens human rights and freedom of expression, and oppose equal rights for women and communities LGBTQ,” added the alumni.
Columbia University suspended two student groups that held a rally condemning Israel’s war against Hamas.AP One of the student groups was accused of celebrating a Hamas terrorist attack on October 7. Getty Images
While thanking the school for suspending the group, the alumni called on the university to stop such demonstrations from happening in the future as New York City and the world as a whole have seen a sharp rise in antisemitism following Israel’s declaration of war on Gaza.
The NYPD reported at least 69 anti-Jewish incidents in October, more than triple the number the year before.
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The alumni letter went on to warn about comments made by JVP after its suspension, in which the Jewish group suggested it would not back down from holding pro-Palestinian rallies on campus.
“Our actions will speak louder than our words. For all those who yearn for freedom, and for media outlets: Go ahead [sic] look at Columbia,” JVP said in a statement Saturday.
Student groups issued a statement in opposition saying they would continue their demonstration despite the suspension. Instagram/@sjp.columbia
The alumni said the group’s statement acted as a “direct threat” to increase division on campus and called on Columbia to permanently ban SJP and JVP, as well as investigate all other student groups that participated in the recent disbandment with pro-Palestinian organizations.
The letter also called on Columbia University president Minouche Shafik to directly denounce the phrase “From the river to the sea,” a chant used by pro-Palestinian protesters that alumni say “implies the elimination of Jews from Israel.”
Other offensive and inflammatory phrases, including calls for a “global intifada” or uprising, should not be allowed on campus, and those chanting these words should be held accountable for hate speech, the alumni wrote.
Hundreds of Columbia University alumni are calling for student groups to be permanently banned from campus.Getty Images
After the group’s suspension, Gerald Rosberg, the university’s senior executive vice president, issued a statement that SJP and JVP would no longer be able to hold events on campus or receive funding from the school.
“Revocation of the suspension will depend on both groups showing a commitment to comply with University policy and engaging in consultation at the group leadership level with University officials,” he said.
Columbia declined to comment further on the matter.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
