“The Squad” Members Criticize Columbia University After Student’s Suspension Over Pro-Palestine Protest
Members of “The Squad” have voiced their criticism against Columbia University in New York after the daughter of one of its original members was suspended following a pro-Palestine protest on the campus.
Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar and an organizer for Columbia University’s Apartheid Divest group, was one of three students suspended over the protests. This move has sparked outrage among progressive lawmakers, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib.
The protest, which saw over 100 demonstrators from Columbia and Barnard College arrested by New York police, was in support of Palestinians and against Israeli military action in Gaza. The demonstrators demanded that the school divest from companies they claim “profit from Israeli apartheid.”
Despite having no previous disciplinary record at Columbia in three years of study, Ms. Hirsi expressed her shock at the suspension, stating that she will continue to stand in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.
Columbia University’s president, Namat Shafik, defended the decision to suspend the students, citing violations of school rules and policies. The university had warned protesters that they would face suspension if they did not remove the encampment, which led to the involvement of law enforcement to clear out the demonstrators.
The incident has drawn attention to the issue of free speech and the right to protest on college campuses, with lawmakers questioning the school’s actions and calling for transparency in its investments. As the situation unfolds, more suspensions are expected to be handed out to students involved in the protest.