A group of 21 House Democrats, led by Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Dan Goldman, sent a letter to Columbia University’s Board of Trustees demanding that they disband anti-Israel encampments on campus, citing concerns about harassment, threats, and intimidation faced by Jewish students. The protesters set up encampments earlier this month in response to the Israel-Hamas war and have disrupted campus activities. Despite efforts to negotiate with the protesters, discussions broke down and tensions on campus escalated, resulting in over 100 student arrests and a switch to hybrid learning for the semester.
The House Democrats invoked Title VI, which prohibits discrimination by educational institutions that receive federal funding, as the basis for their demands. They highlighted the impact on students who are unable to attend classes or access campus facilities safely due to the encampments. Emphasizing the failure to reach a resolution through negotiations, the lawmakers called on the university to take decisive action to disband the encampments and ensure the safety of all students. The encampments have also witnessed reports of antisemitic incidents, drawing condemnation from the White House and various politicians.
Multiple incidents of antisemitism have been reported on campus since the establishment of the anti-Israel encampments, leading to calls for action from political figures like House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik. Conversely, left-leaning representatives such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, and Ilhan Omar have visited the campus and expressed support for the protests. The letter from the House Democrats, in addition to Gottheimer and Goldman, was signed by several other representatives calling for immediate action by the university’s Board of Trustees.
The House Democrats emphasized in their letter that the time for negotiation is over and called for swift action from the Board of Trustees to disband the encampments and uphold the university’s legal obligations under Title VI. They urged any trustees who are unwilling to take action to resign so that they can be replaced by individuals who will prioritize the safety and security of all students. Columbia University declined to comment on the demands made by the House Democrats regarding the anti-Israel encampments on campus. The situation at Columbia University continues to be a point of contention and raises broader concerns about freedom of speech, campus safety, and the handling of contentious political issues in academic settings.
