“The Responsibility for the War Lies With the Israeli Extremist Government”: Students Walk Out of Hilary Clinton Lecture Over Shaming of Pro-Palestine Protestors

Amy LewisNov 9, 2023

Minute Read

Numerous students left a Hillary Clinton-taught class in New York on Wednesday in protest of their university’s supposed complicity in the “shaming” of protesters who supported Palestine.

30 Students Protesting

At Columbia University, where the former secretary of state and state senator was giving a lecture on international policy as part of her global affairs class, about thirty students participated in the demonstration.

Students Who Signed Anti-Israel Declaration Shamed as ‘“Columbia’s Biggest Antisemites”

The walkout came after an incident last week in which, according to the New York Times, images of students who signed a declaration accusing Israel of being behind the Hamas attacks on October 7th were shown on video screens on trucks parked close to the university campus, above the phrase “Columbia’s biggest antisemites.”

The Organized and Peaceful Walkout

The demonstrators claimed that the images were taken from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs (Sipa) “secure and private” student site. According to The Times, the walkout was organized and nonviolent. Approximately 300 students attended Clinton’s two-hour lecture; those who left joined several other protestors in the school lobby.

“A Commitment to Student Safety”

According to the Times, they demanded “immediate legal support for affected students” and “a commitment to student safety, well-being, and privacy”.

Columbia Dean in Solidarity With Students

Editorial credit: Evan El-Amin / Shutterstock.

Following the lecture, the protesting students talked with the school’s dean, Keren Yarhi-Milo, who also co-teaches the subject, and she offered her support for them, according to a university spokeswoman. Clinton was on her way out.

Clinton’s Strong Pro- Israel Stance

During a discussion last week at Rice University’s Baker Institute, the Democratic former presidential candidate criticized those advocating for a ceasefire as ignorant about Hamas, demonstrating her strong pro-Israel stance since the crisis broke out last month.

Columbia a New Flashpoint for Protests Over Wars

Columbia is one of the colleges that has turned into a focal point for anti-war demonstrations, with students on both sides bitterly criticizing the other for the rising death toll and violence. A sizable contingent of pro-Israel demonstrators attended a rally organized by National Students for Justice in Palestine last month on campus as part of a “day of resistance” against Israel’s military response to Hamas assaults.

“Weight of Responsibility for the War Undeniably Lies With the Israeli Extremist Government”

A statement endorsing “Palestinian resistance against over 75 years of Israeli settler-colonialism and apartheid” was signed by the pro-Palestinian students whose faces were displayed on screens close to the university last week. “The weight of responsibility for the war and casualties undeniably lies with the Israeli extremist government,” the statement stated in part.

Trucks Circling “Columbia Campus Displaying and Publicizing Names and Photos of Arab, Muslim and Palestinian Students”

A Columbia spokeswoman called the emergence of cars with student photos on them “concerning” in a statement to the Guardian. “Many individuals, including students across several schools, have been subject to these attacks by third parties. This includes disturbing incidents in which trucks have circled the Columbia campus displaying and publicizing the names and photos of Arab, Muslim and Palestinian students,” the spokesperson stated.

University to “Speak Out Against Doxxing”

“The University’s overriding priority is the safety and security of its students and community. The University and Sipa take this responsibility very seriously – and this includes speaking out against doxxing, a dangerous form of intimidation, as unacceptable.”

Columbia Unveils New Taskforce to Combat ‘Doxxing’

The university last week announced the launch of a new taskforce to improve student safety and combat “doxxing,” which is the deliberate posting of someone’s personal information online, generally with malevolent intent. Additionally, the protest “was not targeted at the secretary and dean’s class specifically, but all Sipa classes happening Wednesday afternoon,” according to a Columbia representative. Its organizers described it as an “act of solidarity not tied to any political ideals or figures,” as they pointed out.

Students Frustrated “To Put up a Nice Stage for Clinton’s High-Profile Lecture Series”

Hilary Clinton — Image Credit: stocklight / Shutterstock.

The 76-year-old Clinton, who served as Secretary of State during Barack Obama’s first term from 2009 to 2013, started her program, Inside the Situation Room, in September. Approximately 500 students in one of Columbia’s most popular computer science classes were ejected “to put up a nice stage for [Clinton’s] high-profile lecture series,” according to others who were displeased with the logistical implications of her attendance.

“This Is Like the Paparazzi”

During one of Clinton’s initial lectures, Yarhi-Milo broke off to let students use their mobile cameras to snap pictures of their famous professor. “This is like the paparazzi,” Clinton stated. When Clinton was appointed in February, Lee Bollinger, the president of Columbia at the time, announced that her class would study “fundamental questions” including how to promote the regeneration of democracy and encourage more involvement with women and adolescents in the US and throughout the world.