GOP Senators Demand Biden Administration Restore Order on Campuses Amid Pro-Palestine Protests
Republican senators are demanding that the Biden administration take action to restore order on college campuses amidst ongoing pro-Palestine protests. The senators, led by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), sent a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday, expressing concerns about anti-Semitic and violent behavior during the protests.
The letter comes as several universities, including Columbia University, New York University, and Yale University, have experienced campus encampments and protests calling for divestment from Israel. The senators have accused the protesters of targeting Jewish students and creating a hostile environment on campuses.
“You need to take action to restore order and protect Jewish students on our college campuses,” the senators wrote in the letter. “President Biden issued a statement on Sunday, purporting to condemn the outbreak of anti-Semitism. If that statement was serious, it must be accompanied by immediate action from your departments.”
The senators’ letter comes a day after Cotton and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) called on Biden to send the National Guard to break up the protests. The Hill has reached out to the departments of Education and Justice for comment.
Columbia Announces Transition to Hybrid Classes
Columbia University announced this week that it will transition to hybrid classes for the rest of the semester due to the unrest. The university has been the site of ongoing protests and demonstrations in support of Palestine. The university’s president, Lee Bollinger, said in a statement that the decision was made to ensure the safety and well-being of the campus community.
“The safety and well-being of our community is our paramount concern,” Bollinger said. “We have been closely monitoring the situation on campus and have made the decision to transition to hybrid classes for the remainder of the semester.”
The transition to hybrid classes will begin on Wednesday, May 12. All classes will be held online or in a hybrid format, with students having the option to attend in person or remotely. The university said that it will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as necessary.
