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Edited by: TJVNews.com
The unfolding events at Columbia University’s campus, involving raucous protests against Israel, have led to significant repercussions for some students, including Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, according to a report that appeared on Thursday in the New York Post. Hirsi, a 21-year-old student at Barnard College, which is affiliated with Columbia, has been suspended due to her active role in these protests.
On Thursday, Hirsi disclosed through a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) that she and two other students, Maryam Iqbal and Soph Dinu, were suspended from their academic pursuits. As was reported by the Post, in her message, Hirsi expressed surprise and distress over the suspension, noting her previously unblemished disciplinary record at Barnard. She emphasized her commitment to the cause, stating that the suspension was a result of her standing “in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.”
i’m an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP, in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege i have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings
i just received notice that i am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.
— isra hirsi (@israhirsi) April 18, 2024
The student group CU Apartheid Divest, with which Hirsi is involved, released a statement following the suspensions. It detailed that the actions taken by Barnard’s administration were informed by reports from Columbia University Public Safety. According to the dean of Barnard College, Leslie Grinage, the suspended students were involved in an “unauthorized encampment” on Columbia’s campus, the Post report affirmed. Despite multiple requests on Wednesday from both Barnard and Columbia to cease their involvement, the students did not comply, leading to their suspensions.
This disciplinary action aligns with a broader pattern of enforcement related to the ongoing protests, which have seen at least three people arrested overnight in connection with the tent protest at the Morningside campus, according to the information in the Post report. Hirsi’s suspension, particularly given her high-profile background as the daughter of a prominent U.S. congresswoman, brings additional attention to the protests and the responses by university administrations.
As one of three children of Rep. Omar and her ex-husband Ahmed Hirsi, Isra has actively participated in and promoted the campus protests, describing her involvement as part of a “huge historic moment,” as was stated in the Post report.
Following her participation, Hirsi shared footage of herself at the protest on the social media platform X. A day after posting the footage, Hirsi revealed she had been suspended from Barnard College. In a resolute response to her suspension, she expressed that the protesters “will not be intimidated” and vowed to continue the anti-Israel protest until their demands—which include the divestment from companies they accuse of being complicit in genocide, transparency in Columbia University’s investments, and full amnesty for all students facing disciplinary actions—are met, the Post report said.
Hirsi, who self-identifies on X as an “angry black girl,” has been vocal during the pro-Hamas protests, using her platform to amplify the cause and engage with a broader audience. Her activism has gained additional visibility through the support of her mother, Rep. Ilhan Omar, who herself has been a controversial figure in U.S. politics, the Post report noted. Omar, known for her radically left-wing stances, faced significant backlash from Republicans and was removed from the Foreign Affairs Committee in February of the previous year due to remarks that were widely criticized as anti-Semitic.
