Columbia University’s interim president Katrina Armstrong was slammed by members of nan school’s Jewish organization aft she apologized to anyone who felt “hurt” by nan administration’s determination to clear retired nan campus’ destructive anti-Israel protests past spring.
Dr. Armstrong issued nan mea culpa successful an question and reply pinch nan Ivy League school’s newspaper, nan Columbia Spectator aft she was asked astir nan schoolhouse requesting nan NYPD to break up a sprawling encampment and remove protesters from Hamilton Hall connected abstracted days past April.
“I cognize that this is tricky for maine to say, but I do understand that I beryllium successful this job, right. And truthful if you could conscionable fto everybody cognize who was wounded by that, that I’m conscionable incredibly sorry,” Armstrong told nan newspaper that published its communicative early Thursday.
“And I cognize it wasn’t me, but I’m really sorry … I saw it, and I’m really sorry.”
Armstrong assumed her existent domiciled aft erstwhile Columbia president Minouche Shafik suddenly stepped down successful August aft she faced aggravated disapproval for her handling nan changeless – and astatine times destructive – anti-Israel demonstrations pursuing Hamas’ Oct. 7 panic onslaught and nan consequent warfare successful Gaza.
More than 100 protesters, portion of a Gaza Solidarity Encampment connected a field green, were taken into custody aft Shafik called connected nan NYPD to participate assemblage grounds. About 2 weeks later, hundreds of cops were allowed connected field again to haul distant much than 100 protesters from Hamilton Hall.
On some occasions, nan elite schoolhouse said it regretted summoning police, but stressed officials were near pinch nary choice. The schoolhouse accused protesters that took complete Hamilton Hall of forcing schoolhouse information officers retired of nan building and threatening a janitor.
Armstrong’s apology was blasted by Jewish members of nan schoolhouse community.
“Instead of apologizing to nan antisemitic protesters, [Armstrong] should be apologizing to nan Jewish students for failing to protect them from relentless favoritism and harassment,” student Maya Cukierman, 19, told The Post.
Matthew Schweber, who is portion of nan school’s Jewish alumni association, said nan apology “only dramatizes nan civilized rot, intelligence bankruptcy, and organization antisemitism that besets my alma mater.”
Columbia Law School postgraduate Rory Lancman called Armstrong’s apology an “ominous sign” arsenic nan caller schoolhouse is underway.
“It’s an ominous motion for Columbia’s dwindling cohort of Jewish students that its interim president is starting nan caller world twelvemonth by apologizing for Columbia’s enforcement of basal time, place, and mode restrictions connected anti-Israel protestors who terrorized Columbia’s Jewish community” and affected different students and unit connected campus, said Lancman, who is elder counsel nan Louis Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law.
And Ari Shrage, who is nan caput of nan schoolhouse Jewish alumni association, called Armstrong’s connection “tone deaf.”
“Why is she apologizing? An apology sends nan connection that location shouldn’t beryllium consequences for breaking nan rules,” he said. “This is precisely nan other of what Columbia needs now.”
The schoolhouse told The Post successful a connection Armstrong has worked to prosecute and perceive pinch a wide scope of students and communities connected field “and has heard astir nan harm they experienced last world year.”
“Dr. Armstrong gave a wide-ranging question and reply pinch nan student newspaper that successful portion focused connected nan effect of nan past year, and conscionable arsenic she has arsenic done while speaking to galore groups crossed our campus, she recognized their symptom and reiterated really sorry she is to each students who are hurting,” a spokesperson said.
“She remains committed to ensuring everyone astatine nan assemblage feels safe and respected arsenic we rebuild and heal this year.
Armstrong, who besides leads nan school’s Irving Medical Center, besides told nan Columbia Spectator that schoolhouse has to beryllium committed to enabling students nan expertise to definitive their views and prosecute successful statement while besides ensuring world activities continue.
She stressed she wants to “keep this field peaceful, safe.”
“I want to conscionable say, I spot nan harm that happened,” Armstrong reportedly said. “And I americium profoundly committed that I activity pinch each of you, I activity pinch each of nan organization to some reside that harm and to understand.”
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