(The Center Square) — The Trump administration is praising Columbia University’s acting president for a “strong and resolute” response to a pro-Palestinian protest on campus Wednesday that resulted in more than 80 arrests.
Demonstrators seized the school’s library on Wednesday, chanting anti-Israeli slogans and hanging Palestinian flags and “global intifada” signs on the walls before the NYPD stormed the building, making dozens of arrests. Two school security guards were injured, authorities said.
It was the first major protest at the Ivy League school since last year’s demonstrations that rocked its sprawling New York City campus and put its leaders in the crosshairs of the federal government.
Columbia’s acting university President Claire Shipman issued a statement condemning the protests, saying they “not only represented a violation of University policies, but they also posed a serious risk to our students and campus safety.”
“Let me be clear: Columbia unequivocally rejects antisemitism and all other forms of harassment and discrimination,” she said. “Violence and vandalism, hijacking a library — none of that has any place on our campus. These aren’t Columbia’s values.”
Her response prompted praise from the Trump administration, which is negotiating with Shipman and other Columbia leaders to restore federal funding that was cut over previous protests.
The task force said Shipman’s response to the protests “met the moment with fortitude and conviction,” and further evidence that the Trump administration needs to crack down on antisemitism on campuses.
“This is why the American people are demanding that the administration act to implement meaningful and enforceable commitments to enforce civil rights laws with institutions that receive taxpayer dollars,” the statement said. “The Task Force is confident that Columbia will take the appropriate disciplinary actions for those involved in this act.”
President Donald Trump and other top Republicans blasted Columbia over pro-Palestinian protests on campus last year, saying they were antisemitic and demonstrated a failure to protect Jewish students.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice announced that it is charging a 20-year-old with hate crimes after he allegedly assaulted Jewish people with connections to Columbia during protests over the war between Israel and Hamas.
Tarek Bazrouk, who has identified himself as a “Jew hater,” was arrested and charged with three counts of hate crimes Wednesday after the government says he assaulted Jewish people, including two Columbia students, in three separate incidents, according to the DOJ.
“Despite being arrested after each incident, Bazrouk allegedly remained undeterred and quickly returned to using violence to target Jews in New York City,” U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said in a statement.
