Rep. Ilhan Omar’s daughter, Isra Hirsi, found herself at the center of controversy after being suspended from Columbia University for participating in a campus protest. The suspension came just one day after her mother questioned the school’s administrators about the mistreatment of students protesting Israel’s war on Gaza during a congressional hearing on antisemitism.
The Suspensions:
University President Nemat Minouche Shafik announced that two students, including Isra Hirsi, were suspended in relation to a January protest on campus. Additionally, a professor was under investigation for complaints regarding his social media posts about students. The suspensions were related to an on-campus encampment that had been rallying hundreds of students for over 24 hours. The students received interim suspension notices from Barnard College, barring them from residence halls, dining facilities, and classrooms while the disciplinary process played out.
Scare Tactics:
Isra Hirsi, along with Maryam Iqbal and Soph Dinu, had been active participants in campus protests over the war. They noted that the school had not given them any prior warning about the suspensions other than distributing code of conduct warning flyers. The students believed that the hearings and suspensions were scare tactics used by the administration to intimidate and divide the student body. Despite these tactics, the students remained committed to their cause and continued to participate in protests.
Transparency and Amnesty:
The protests were organized to demand transparency regarding Columbia University’s financial investments in corporations profiting from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and occupation in Palestine. The demonstrators called for amnesty for students involved in the encampment or the movement for Palestinian liberation. Students cited faculty senators who indicated that the school had agreed to some form of greater investment transparency. A Columbia spokesperson stated that students could request information about university investments through an established process.
Police Intervention:
On Thursday afternoon, with regret, President Shafik authorized the New York Police Department to clear out the protest site. More than 100 people were arrested during the police intervention. This decision raised concerns among some faculty members, as the school has its own public safety department trained to manage student and campus affairs. The use of police force on campus sparked questions about the necessity of involving law enforcement in handling student protests.
In conclusion, the suspensions of Isra Hirsi and other students at Columbia University following their participation in campus protests have raised questions about freedom of expression, transparency, and student activism on campus. The events surrounding these suspensions highlight the ongoing tensions between student protesters and university administrations, as well as the broader issues of social justice and human rights advocacy within academic institutions.