Columbia condemns student group's call for more disruptions of 'Zionist' classes
An anti-Israel group at Columbia University has made a statement calling for further disruptions on campus following an incident where protesters took over a course on the 'History of Modern Israel.'
In a post uploaded to Instagram on Sunday, Columbia University Apartheid Divest shared a series of photos and videos with captions that read, 'STUDENTS DISRUPTED A ZIONIST CLASS, YOU SHOULD TOO!'
An anti-Israel group at Columbia University has made statements calling for further disruptions on campus following an incident where protesters took over a course on the “History of Modern Israel.”
In a post uploaded to Instagram on Monday, Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) shared a series of photos and videos with captions that read, “STUDENTS DISRUPTED A ZIONIST CLASS, YOU SHOULD TOO!”
[RELATED: Barnard College expels activists who invaded class on Israeli history]
In response to the post, Columbia University’s Office of Public Affairs released a statement on the “Post by Unsanctioned Group on Classroom Disruption.”
“We condemn this unacceptable call to disrupt our academic mission,” the school says. “Disruptions to our classrooms and efforts to intimidate or harass our students are not acceptable, are an affront to our University community, and will not be tolerated.”
“Columbia does not tolerate antisemitism, discrimination, harassment, or intimidation against members of our community,” the statement continues. “Columbia is committed to fulfilling its academic mission and ensuring that all our students feel welcome and have access to the exceptional education we provide without disruption or any form of discrimination.”
In CUAD’s post, the group writes that in late January, students disrupted a class on Israel, which the group describes as “taught by an ex-IOF solider Avi Shilon,” and is a “course that legitimizes and normalizes the genocide, occupation, and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people and their land.”
CUAD notes that academic papers and courses that “[legitimize] the zionist entity necessarily cosigns the genocide and occupation of Palestinians and necessitates disruption.”
The post also includes clips of video where students had initially interrupted the class.
“What’s so ‘complex’ about “israel’s” history? Is it the genocide it’s currently committing? Is it the violent settler colonialism and occupation of Palestine? For over 77 years, Palestinian citizens of ‘israel’ have been treated as second class citizens on their own land,” the group writes.
The organization also writes that, “It is our bare minimum duty as people of conscience to disrupt the production and dissemination of zionist propaganda.”
