Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Democrat Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, was suspended alongside other students for participating in a pro-Palestinian protest on the Columbia University campus.
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“I have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings,” the 21-year-old wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I just received notice that I am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.”
Two other Barnard students, 18-year-old Maryam Iqbal and 21-year-old Soph Dinu, were suspended alongside Hirsi, according to The New York Times. Over 100 people were arrested and issued summonses for trespass on Thursday, police said.
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The protest began on Wednesday when students set up an encampment on the university’s South Lawn. They occupied the space for 30 hours before Nemat Shafik, the president of Columbia University, notified law enforcement and authorized police to disperse protesters.
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those of us in Gaza Solidarity Encampment will not be intimidated. we will stand resolute until our demands are met.
our demands include divestment from companies complicit in genocide, transparency of @Columbia’s investments and FULL amnesty for all students facing repression
— isra hirsi (@israhirsi) April 18, 2024
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“I have determined that the encampment and related disruptions pose a clear and present danger to the substantial functioning of the University,” Shafik said in a letter to the NYPD.
The president said protestors were trespassing, refused to disperse and damaged campus property. NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban noted that the students were arrested peacefully “and saying what they wanted to say in a peaceful manner.”
Hirsi said she was an organizer with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the student group that has been advocating for Columbia to cut ties with companies that support Israel.
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WATCH: Rep. Omar questions the president of Columbia University about protests on campus and the broader hostile environment faced by students. pic.twitter.com/2v50Vt8vyR
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) April 17, 2024
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Barnard notified students at the encampment that they would face sanctions if they did not disperse, according to NBC News. The university said they were placed on interim suspension but did not specify the number of students concerned or how long the suspension would last.
“Now and always, we prioritize our students’ learning and living in an inclusive environment free from harassment,” the university said in a statement.
