Former first lady, New York senator and onetime presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton was left reeling after dozens of students walked out of a lecture at Columbia University she was giving with others on women’s contribution to peace in international affairs.
No Attention Paid
Clinton, 76 and wife of former president Bill, thought she had the eyes and ears of her audience, when around 30 people suddenly stood up and left the lecture.
‘Columbia Antisemites’
The embarrassing incident occurred following the public shaming of Columbia students who publicly condemned Israel for Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, in a strike that left around 1,400 people in Israel dead. More than 9,000 people have died in Israel’s subsequent declaration of war on Hamas, most of them Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Students’ Photos Shown on Truck Screens
Students who had signed a “Joint Statement from Palestine Solidarity Groups at Columbia University regarding the recent events in Palestine/Israel: Oppression Breeds Resistance” suddenly found their photographs on a truck outside the campus that bore the banner “Columbia’s Leading Antisemites.”
University ‘Complicit’
The protesters who walked out of Clinton’s lecture blamed the university for complicity in the truck’s appearance and their public shaming, and for allegedly unlawfully using their photographs that had been stored in a secure online platform and used without their consent.
Statement: ‘Israel’s Fault’
The statement blamed Israel for the October 7 attacks. It said: “We cannot view the recent actions of Palestinian fighters in isolation. Gaza is an open-air prison that lacks the essential necessities such as food, clean water, medicine, and electricity. Palestinians in Gaza have endured five brutal wars and prolonged inhumane siege for 16 years depriving them of their most basic rights.”
‘Extremist Israeli Government’
The statement continued: “The weight of responsibility for the war and casualties undeniably lies with the Israeli extremist government and other Western governments, including the US government, which fund and staunchly support Israeli aggression, apartheid and settler-colonization.”
‘Protect Columbia Students’
The students who signed the statement urged leaders at Columbia University to do more to protect the student body, including over an alleged death threat.
“We call on Columbia to protect its students right now. We demand the immediate termination of the alleged Columbia employee who openly advocated for the death of hundreds of students. We demand immediate action to legally and publicly support the Muslim and POC students at Columbia who have fallen victim to doxxing and have been unjustly placed on terror watchlists.”
Columbia’s Truck Problem
A spokesperson for Columbia University said in a statement that they were “concerned” about what had happened with the truck featuring students’ photographs and that there had been several recent incidents of a similar nature.
‘Attacks by Third Parties’
The spokesperson said in a statement to the Guardian newspaper: “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.”
‘Form of Intimidation’
The spokesperson continued: “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.”
Clinton Disruption
Clinton, 76 and also a former secretary of state under former president Barack Obama, has faced criticism over the logistics of staging her prestigious lecture, and due to disruption it causes with people trying to see and take photographs of the celebrity lecturer.
Campus Protests
Demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas war have been taking place on other campuses around the United States. Students at George Washington University stoked controversy by displaying anti-Israeli messages on a campus building, including “Glory to Our Martyrs,” Divestment from Zionist Genocide Now,” and “Free Palestine from the River to the Sea.”
‘Genocidal Messages’
Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee blasted the anti-Israeli messages projected onto buildings. “These are genocidal messages displayed on a building at George Washington University. If the students responsible for these messages aren’t severely punished by GWU, something is terribly wrong,” he said on X, formerly Twitter. “Genocide isn’t hip, cute, or in any way acceptable. GWU — do the right thing NOW!”
Harsh Reaction to Students
Reaction to the senator’s comments was critical of the protesting students, with one person, Ron Taylor, saying on X: “Wouldn’t hold my breath. The students reflect the values and ideas implanted in them by their professors.”
“Fine them expel them now!” said another, while a person called Arleen Zank opined: “Time to pull the student visas for any international student and expel the rest.”
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