Columbia students participate in a rally and vigil in support of Israel in response to a neighboring student rally in support of Palestine at the university on October 12, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) An Israeli student at Columbia University was reportedly assaulted on Wednesday by a suspect who was tearing down flyers that showed the names and pictures of those who were taken hostage by Hamas.
The Columbia Daily Spectator spoke with the 24-year-old Israeli School of General Studies student who was assaulted––referring to him solely by the initials “I.A.”––as well as a friend of his who requested anonymity and the New York Police Department (NYPD) on the matter. While I.A. and others were putting up the flyers that morning, the suspect––a 19-year-old female––allegedly joined in, saying she was Jewish. But later in the day, I.A. and four other students noticed that the suspect, with a bandana around her face, was tearing down the flyers.
“When they approached her, I.A. said the suspect screamed obscenities toward the students and hit I.A. with a stick,” the Spectator reported. “I.A. said he defended himself when the suspect allegedly tried to punch him in the face. After the incident, I.A. said that one hand was bruised and his ring finger on the other hand was broken.”
The suspect has been arrested and charged with one count of assault. The Spectator report did not specify if the suspect is a student at Columbia or not.
I.A. told the Spectator that he is staying away from the campus for the time being because he doesn’t feel safe, especially with pro-Palestinian protests scheduled for Thursday. He urged other Jewish and Israeli students to also think about steering clear of campus.
“We were all kind of shocked that this stuff can happen on our own campus, which should be a safe haven,” I.A. told the student paper. “We don’t know how to handle the situation, let alone that our families and friends are going through the worst nightmare, and we are mentally in the same ship with them. And now we have to handle the situation that campus is not a safe place for us anymore.”
Anti-Defamation League New York / New Jersey posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: “We are horrified to hear that an Israeli student at @Columbia was reportedly targeted and assaulted on campus last night. At a time when Israel has experienced the worst terrorist attack in its history, it is appalling that Israeli and Jewish students are expressing concern about their physical safety on college campuses. Columbia must immediately investigate and respond.”
We are horrified to hear that an Israeli student at @Columbia was reportedly targeted and assaulted on campus last night. At a time when Israel has experienced the worst terrorist attack in its history, it is appalling that Israeli and Jewish students are expressing concern about…
— ADL New York / New Jersey (@ADL_NYNJ) October 12, 2023
Jewish Insider Executive Editor Melissa Weiss also posted on X, “What has for years been the intimidation of Jewish students has become physical.”
An Israeli student at @Columbia University was assaulted after putting up flyers with the photos of kidnapped and murdered Israelis.
What has for years been the intimidation of Jewish students has become physical.https://t.co/Bfrc0TVU2j
— Melissa Weiss (@melissaeweiss) October 12, 2023
Allison Josephs, who formed the nonprofit Jew In the City, posted on X, “My Alma mater, the place that gave a platform to [former Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad. The moral bankruptcy you promote has real life consequences. Nazis were highly educated too.”
My Alma mater, the place that gave a platform to Ahmadinejad. The moral bankruptcy you promote has real life consequences. Nazis were highly educated too. https://t.co/trRATrG9p4
— Allison Josephs (@jewinthecity) October 12, 2023
The New York Times reported that the university is closing off public access to the campus on Thursday; university spokeswoman Samantha Slater told the Times that the university did so in order “to help maintain safety and a sense of community through planned demonstration activities.”
Slater declined to comment to the Journal on the assault of I.A. and referred the Journal to the NYPD.
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