Ilhan Omar visits Columbia campus and reports students are ‘joyfully protesting’

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) appeared on Columbia University’s campus Thursday to witness the “anti-war encampment.”

Large groups have gathered at Columbia, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Some protesters have gone further by calling for the death of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reportedly targeting Jewish students with threats. The New York Police Department has since deployed its counterterrorism unit on campus after arresting 100 protesters on suspicion of trespassing.

“I had the honor of seeing the Columbia University anti-war encampment firsthand. Contrary to right-wing attacks, these students are joyfully protesting for peace and an end to the genocide taking place in Gaza,” Omar said of her visit. “I’m in awe of their bravery and courage.”

Omar was captured in various photos and videos by students on campus as she walked and shook hands. One video, reposted on Omar’s Instagram story, seemingly captured her opinion on the media coverage of the protests. She wished to highlight “students that just wanted to raise their voice in an attempt to end the genocide that’s happening in Gaza. That’s where the focus should be.”

The Minnesota representative made no mention of a protest guidebook that is currently being circulated on campus titled “First We Take Columbia: Lessons from the April 1968 Occupations Movement.” This guidebook hearkens back to the anti-war campus protests from that year that resulted in four senior university officials being held hostage while over 100 students were injured.

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Another video circulating on social media showed two men shouting at Jewish students, “Never forget the 7th of October. That will happen not one more time, not five more times … but 10,000 more times. … The 7th of October is going to be every day for you.” Other instances of anti-Israel remarks have also spread on social media.

Among those protesters arrested last week was Omar’s daughter, Isra Hirsi, who was subsequently suspended as was the case of other arrested students. Omar reacted to the news by saying she was “enormously proud” of Hirsi for “pushing her school to stand against genocide.”