GOP Rep. Lawler Calls for ‘Consequences’ against Pro-Palestinian Protesters at Columbia University
New York Representative Mike Lawler (R) has emphasized the need for consequences against those involved in the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.
In an interview on NewsNation’s ‘The Hill,’ Lawler criticized the comments made by Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) daughter, Isra Hirsi, who was among the over 100 students arrested last week for participating in the demonstrations.
Hirsi was subsequently suspended from Barnard College, suspending her access to food and housing.
Lawler accused the protesters of being involved in threats against Jewish students and called for the resignation of Columbia University President Minouche Shafik, whom he accused of failing to ensure the safety of students on campus.
The protests have led to concerns about Jewish students’ safety, and Columbia has moved classes online starting Monday, hours ahead of the start of the Jewish holiday Passover.
Antisemitism has been on the rise since Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel, though a significant portion of the protesting students are Jewish.
Lawler said that the protests were rooted in antisemitism and that Columbia had allowed this to happen.
He called for investigations into the university’s response to increasing antisemitism on campuses.
Shafik expressed sadness over the protests and said she was deeply saddened by the campus protests.
She said that the decibel of disagreements has increased in recent days and that these tensions have been exploited by individuals not affiliated with Columbia.
