Days after a massive protest erupted on the campus of an Ivy League university, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) visited the site and called for an end to displays of anti-semitism at taxpayer-funded institutions.
Columbia University in New York City made headlines last week when more than a hundred student protestors were arrested for refusing to disperse their encampments on school property, where they had been demonstrating since April 17. The incident was the latest dramatic display of support for Palestine as it continues to witness the impact of the ongoing war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.
Extremists part of the @Columbia CHAZ-style occupation chant support for Hamas terror:
“Al-Qassam, you make us proud, take another soldier out”
“We say justice, you say how? Burn Tel Aviv to the ground”
“Hamas, we love you. We support your rockets too”pic.twitter.com/YtNwzqYvNd
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) April 20, 2024
Since Oct. 7, 2023, when more than a thousand innocents were massacred by the
Palestinian militant group in Israel, tensions have flown high in the United States. The Jewish nation’s relentless counter offenses in the Gaza Strip have killed thousands more in an effort to eliminate Hamas, leading citizens and leaders to become increasingly divided on the ethics behind the response.
Following the intense protests in New York, Johnson went to Columbia University on April 24 to visit with Jewish leaders and address the conflict. During his time in the Big Apple, he declared that institutions like Columbia must crack down on the anti-semitism and violence on campuses or they do not “deserve” to receive federal funds.
The House Speaker—who is under fire from his own party for paving the way for a controversial foreign aid package to be passed in the chamber, including funds for Israel—addressed the public after meeting privately with Jewish students. He was met with audible backlash as he spoke from the microphone with fellow lawmakers behind him.
During his remarks, Johnson emphasized that “neither Israel nor these Jewish students on this campus will ever stand alone.” He also promised that Congress would “not be silent” amid the ongoing tension on college campuses across the country and sympathized with Jewish students who “run for their lives” or “stay home from their classes” for fear of violence.
The Speaker continued, saying anti-semitism is “growing in America” and expressed his plans to contact Democrat President Joe Biden following his visit to Columbia and express the need to respond accordingly to the issue. Biden has remained loyal to the long-standing alliance between the United States and Israel, publicly expressing intentions to stand by the Jewish nation while also working to establish ceasefire agreements and end the war.
However, the American government has also warned Israel not to go too far in its retaliation efforts, suggesting an expansion of the conflict would not be tolerated.
Speaking to Fox News host Jesse Watters after his visit to New York, Johnson once again emphasized that “taxpayer dollars should not be going to institutions that are engaging in this kind of nonsense.” He also noted that, should the “chaos” be allowed to resume as it has been, “it could escalate” and bring greater problems.
Today, I saw firsthand the radical mob Columbia has allowed to run amok on campus, spouting antisemitism and threatening Jewish students.
If universities don’t get it under control, it will escalate.
Taxpayer dollars should not be going to institutions that allow this chaos. pic.twitter.com/drFd8WCuqJ
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) April 25, 2024
