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The “harassing and intimidating comments and actions” by some protesters violate the school’s open expression guidelines as well as state and federal law, Mr Jameson said.
The vandalism of a statue with antisemitic graffiti was “especially reprehensible and will be investigated as a hate crime,” he added.
Student organisers insist that anti-Semitic comments do not reflect the view of their “movement”, which they say is “decentralised” and peaceful.
Their main demand is that their institutions divest from companies that support Israel, and increase financial transparency to make investments easier to scrutinise.
“You can’t blame it on the pro-Palestine protesters,” said Jonathan Ben-Menachen, a spokesman for the Columbia protesters.
“I want to stress very strongly, there are people from so many different identity groups that are a part of this movement.
“I can’t control random anti-Semites rolling up to the Columbia grounds.”
However, there is rising concern in the Jewish community that the protests have also shifted the tone of public discourse on Israel enough that non-students can now sow hatred with impunity.
Sacha Roytman, CEO of the Combat Antisemitism Movement, a global advocacy group, said the student protests had “acted as a vanguard” for anti-Semitism in wider society.
“When non-students are allowed to join and Jewish students are blocked from attending classes, these encampments have created spaces where antisemitism is not only tolerated but actively encouraged,” he said.
“This welcoming atmosphere for anti-Semitic individuals, regardless of their student status, undermines the safety of Jewish students on campus.”
Both the US and UK governments have expressed concern about a rise in anti-Semitic incidents from both students and those encouraged by them.
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