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Columbia University admitted that a student-led discussion aimed at justifying Hamas' October 7 massacre as a "Palestinian counteroffensive" happened Wednesday despite the school's efforts to shut the event down, sparking concern among Jewish students.
Videos circulated on social media from inside Columbia's School of Social Work showing a group of pro-Palestinian students gathered in the lobby, as a female speaker could be heard praising October 7 and the Taliban taking back Afghanistan. Some student protesters held umbrellas with the Columbia School of Social Work logo, blocking people from recording.
A female Israeli student was recorded confronting participants, some of whom wore masks to hide their identities, that "if you want to talk about the military operation in Gaza, we can do that, I would love to have a genuine and real conversation with any of you, but I cannot do that when in these hallways you call for violence against me, against my children." She also asked demonstrators when they spout messages of "by any means necessary," "is my life a means necessary?"
The Israeli student began by asking for the name of one of the speakers, but the person declined.
"You talked about Benjamin Netanyahu referring to Palestinians, to Hamas terrorists as human animals – people from this school, from this group have referred to my people as Zionist dogs," the Israeli student went on to tell the protesters, many of whom also wore masks over their faces. "Dogs as far as I’m concerned are animals. So I think it’s a little bit hypocritical for you to talk about a leader of another country while you are participating in that same form of dehumanization. To characterize the events of October 7 as a counteroffensive where my people were killed and maimed, and yes, raped whether you like it or not, whether it fits your narrative, to characterize that as anything else but terrorism and a massacre, is unacceptable from people who are studying to be social workers."
People march as they gather to protest the banning of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) at Columbia University on Nov. 20, 2023 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The event took place despite Columbia University previously saying it was shut down. On Monday, Melissa Begg, the dean of Columbia School of Social Work, told Fox News Digital that students who organized the event did not seek approval for the fliers and text as required by Columbia School of Social Work processes. "CSSW supports free speech but does not condone language that promotes violence in any manner, which is antithetical to our values," Begg said Monday. "This event will not go forward at CSSW."
The statement came after Columbia Social Workers 4 Palestine promoted the event in a flier posted online as a discussion of the "Significance of the October 7th Palestinian Counteroffensive." The flier gave a location of a specific room in the School of Social Work building.
Columbia University confirmed to Fox News Digital that the event indeed happened anyway, but it was not supposed to.
"A student-led event within the School of Social Work building proceeded without permission, after being canceled," Columbia University said in a statement. "We communicated to the student organizers that this event could not be held at the school because they did not follow protocol. As a result, we prevented access to the classroom the students intended to use. Despite clear direction that the event was not permitted, a group of students moved to host the event in the public lobby of our school. School and University administrators informed the students of the possibility of disciplinary action and urged them to disperse, which they did. The matter is under review under University procedures."
Pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University hold a sign reading, "By any means necessary" on Nov. 15, 2023 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Jewish students fearing for their safety after the event took place said to Fox News Digital that they were told they could take classes remotely.
Meanwhile, organizers of an event to commemorate the start of Hanukkah, which begins Thursday evening and lasts until December 15, was postponed until next week after the School of Social Work went into hybrid mode.
Pro-Palestinian students participate in a protest outside at the Columbia University campus on Nov. 15, 2023 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Wednesday's event came just a day after the presidents of Harvard, MIT and UPenn were hauled before the House Education and Workforce Committee to testify about the rise of antisemitism on American college campuses in the wake of Hamas’ October 7 attack. Lawmakers demanded the university presidents respond to the "race-based ideology of the radical left."
Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., cited how even Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., stressed in a recent floor speech how liberal Jewish Americans who demonstrated for Black Lives Matter now feel abandoned and betrayed by elements of the left, who supposedly pride themselves on diversity and inclusion.
In a fiery exchange toward the end of the hearing, House GOP Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., demanded the university presidents answer whether "calling for the genocide of Jews" or "intifada" violates university codes of conduct or rules regarding bullying and harassment, but the administrators said it depended on the context.
Fox News' Sasha Savitsky contributed to this report.
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