Biden condemns ‘blatant’ anti-Semitism at pro-Palestinian protests in Colombia | Israel War in Gaza News

Biden’s comments came after footage emerged that appeared to show Jewish students being harassed and intimidated.

US President Joe Biden condemned pro-Palestinian activists for acts of “flagrant” anti-Semitism during protests at Columbia University.

In a statement to commemorate the Jewish holiday of Passover on Sunday, Biden said it was necessary to speak out against “the alarming surge of anti-Semitism – in our schools, communities and online.”

“Silence is complicity. Even in recent days, we have seen harassment and calls for violence against Jews,” Biden said.

“This blatant anti-Semitism is reprehensible and dangerous – and has absolutely no place on college campuses, or anywhere in our country.”

Biden’s comments came after reports emerged over the weekend of harassment and threats against Jewish students on the Columbia University campus in New York.

Images shared on social media appeared to show activists telling students to “go back to Poland” and that October 7th “will be every day for you” – referring to the Hamas attacks on Israel, in which 1,139 people were killed.

“Never forget October 7th. It will not happen once again, not five more times, not 10…100…1000…10,000…October 7th will be every day for you.”

Protesters shouted this at two Jews @Columbia students outside the campus gates tonight. pic.twitter.com/VYp0tFudGj

-Jonas Du (@jonasydu) April 19, 2024

Chabad of Columbia University, a chapter of an international Orthodox Jewish movement, said in a statement that protesters also told Jewish students: “You have no culture,” “All you do is colonize” and “Go back to Europe”.

Biden’s comments came hours after a White House statement calling for “physical intimidation against Jewish students and the Jewish community.”

“While every American has the right to peaceful protection, calls for violence and physical intimidation against Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly anti-Semitic, unscrupulous and dangerous – they have absolutely no place on any college campus, or in any place in the United States of America,” said White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates.

“And echoing the rhetoric of terrorist organizations, especially in the wake of the worst massacre committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, is despicable.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York State Governor Kathy Hochul also condemned reports of harassment and intimidation at the protests.

In a statement on Sunday, a group of student activists representing the protesters distanced themselves from “inflammatory individuals” and said they reject “any form of hatred or intolerance.”

“We are frustrated by media distractions focused on inflammatory individuals who do not represent us. At universities across the country, our movement is united in valuing each human life”, states the statement.

“Our members were misidentified by a politically motivated mob. We were fooled by the press, arrested by the NYPD [New York Police Department], and locked out of our homes by the university. We knowingly put ourselves in danger because we can no longer be complicit in Columbia funneling our tuition dollars and providing funding to companies that profit from death.”

Columbia, one of the most prestigious universities in the US, has emerged as a hotbed of student activism since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza following the October 7 attacks.

On Thursday, the New York Police Department arrested more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters after its officers stormed the campus and cleared an encampment set up by students.

Some students involved in the protests said they had been suspended from Columbia and its sister institution, Barnard College, including Isra Hirsi, daughter of Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar.