Staff Reports
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson made a visit to Columbia University in New York City. During his visit, he called for the resignation of the university’s president, Minouche Shafik. Mr. Johnson was accompanied by other members of Congress, and their press conference was met with chants from some students. The university has been dealing with a protest encampment for seven days, with some students advocating for the university to sever ties with Israeli entities and expressing anti-Israel sentiments.
#BREAKING: Speaker Johnson addresses the students at #Columbia university calling for the President of #ColumbiaUniversity to “resign if she cannot immediately bring order to this chaos” pic.twitter.com/KJGjslxggH
— Olga Nesterova (@onestpreneur) April 24, 2024
Some students at the university expressed concern over the disruption caused by the protest encampment, with one student noting that the protests were affecting students’ ability to study and attend classes. The university has taken measures to increase security, including adding more security guards and offering safety escorts for students who feel threatened.
There are also reports of students feeling unsafe due to their Jewish identity and facing physical attacks, causing concern among the student body. The encampment is located near where the university plans to hold its graduation ceremony, and some students have expressed willingness to forgo the ceremony if it means supporting the protest. However, not all students support the calls for President Shafik’s resignation, with one senior expressing understanding of the challenges she faces.
Overall, the situation at Columbia University reflects tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the impact it has had on the university community.
