Columbia University Acting President Acknowledges Protest Suppression and Post-October 7 Antisemitic Surge Amid Hamas Ties Allegations

Columbia University is facing controversy over its handling of student protests and a surge in antisemitic incidents following October 7, 2023. Acting President Claire Shipman acknowledged that decisions to suppress protests were made unilaterally by senior administration without input from faculty, students, or shared governance bodies. She emphasized that efforts to resolve complaints in accordance with the law should not be seen as capitulation. Shipman described the university as being at a "tipping point" amid growing challenges to its research mission and ongoing discussions with the federal government.

The rise in antisemitic incidents on campus has been described as unacceptable. The controversy includes allegations of Columbia becoming a pro-Hamas campus, with some protesters, such as Tarek Barzouk, reportedly having direct ties to Hamas. Additionally, Dutch Palestinian figure Abou Eenarm is noted to have longstanding close connections to Hamas. Critics have drawn a line from Columbia's 2007 invitation to Holocaust-denier Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to recent events involving Iran-backed Hamas attacks and the university's current climate.