Social media platforms buzzed with controversy on the evening of Thursday, April 18, after Isra Hirsi, daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), revealed her suspension from Barnard College.
The suspension came in the wake of Hirsi’s involvement in an anti-Israel protest held at Columbia University’s campus in New York City.
Hirsi, 21, confirmed her suspension through a post on X, lamenting her role in the demonstration and condemning the college’s decision.
She also affirmed her commitment to standing in solidarity with Palestinians and highlighted demands for divestment from companies allegedly complicit in genocide.
“I’ve just received notice that I am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide,” Hirsi wrote.
The suspension stems from an “unauthorized encampment” initiated by Hirsi and several other students at Columbia University the previous day.
According to NYPD sources cited by Fox News, Hirsi and others involved in the protest face trespassing charges.
Hirsi, a prominent climate activist and co-founder of the U.S. Youth Climate Strike, has been outspoken in her advocacy for various social justice causes.
Critics, including conservative commentators and pro-Israel activists, lambasted Hirsi’s suspension, accusing her of engaging in anti-Semitic activism.
Posts on social media platforms like X and Twitter criticized her involvement in the protest and highlighted her past associations with organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).
Brooke Goldstein, executive director of The Lawfare Project, expressed skepticism about Hirsi’s motivations and called for further scrutiny of her activities.
“Hirsi has acknowledged that she is one of the organizers of SJP, the hate group that has done so much damage – not just to Jewish students on campus, but to the rights of all students,” Goldstein stated.
Meanwhile, supporters of Hirsi, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), rallied behind her on social media. Tlaib defended Hirsi’s right to protest and criticized what she perceived as retaliatory action by educational institutions against students exercising their constitutional rights.
The incident at Columbia University reflects ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on college campuses across the United States.
As the fallout from the protest continues, questions persist about the boundaries of free speech and activism within academic institutions.
Barnard College has yet to issue an official statement regarding Hirsi’s suspension, but the controversy surrounding her activism is likely to reverberate within both academic and political circles.
