Cornell professor that cheered Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack sparks more outrage after marching in anti-Israel protest

The Cornell University professor who past twelvemonth called Hamas’ depraved Oct. 7 onslaught “exhilarating” sparked much outrage aft taking portion successful an anti-Israel march wherever protesters chanted “long unrecorded nan intifada.”

Associate history professor Russell Rickford walked pinch dozens of demonstrators arsenic they spewed slogans against Israel, pinch 1 Jewish student calling nan arguable instructor’s beingness astatine nan protestation “insane” and different accusing him of “emboldening hate.”

Photos and videos obtained by The Post show Rickford clapping his hands on pinch nan chants arsenic he walked pinch a keffiyeh astir his shoulders and wearing a newsboy chapeau connected his caput — akin to nan chapeau he wore past twelvemonth erstwhile he made his shocking statements.

Intifada is nan Arabic connection that successful English intends “uprising” aliases “shaking off.”

In nan discourse of nan Israeli-Palestinian conflict, intifada has been utilized to picture convulsive Palestinian protests against nan Jewish state, according to nan American Jewish Committee. The White House has previously condemned nan phrase.

Protesters yet collapsed a profession adjacent that was held connected field wherever schoolhouse officials said they pushed past schoolhouse constabulary officers — though it does not look Rickford was portion of that disruption from footage posted online.

The coach gained notoriety erstwhile he celebrated Hamas’ sneak battle connected nan Jewish authorities that killed 1,200 Israelis and sparked nan warfare successful Gaza.  

“It was exhilarating, it was energizing ….I was exhilarated,” Rickford said astatine nan clip — though he later apologized for nan shameful speech.

While Cornell called nan comments “reprehensible” past year, they noted nan words were protected nether nan First Amendment. He was retired for nan past twelvemonth connected voluntary time off amid nan outcry, but was allowed to return to thatch astatine nan Ivy this semester.

Jewish student Davian Gekman, 19, said “it’s insane to me” that Rickford is allowed to thatch astatine nan schoolhouse and feels comfortable to participate successful fiery protests connected campus.

“Cornell is spitting successful my look and nan look of nan full Jewish community,” Gekman told The Post. “They’re allowing professors to telephone for `intifida’, an extremity of nan Jewish state.”

Amanda Silberstain, vice president of Chabad and Cornellians for Israel, said Rickford marched pinch students to nan building wherever nan profession adjacent was held, nan Statler Hotel, but is unsure if he went inside.

“He was wearing a keffiyeh and smiling. Rickford knows he’s immune from consequences,” Sillberstein fumed. “We person a professor who is promoting antisemitic narratives and emboldening hate.”

Video posted online by nan group that spearheaded nan demonstration, nan Coalition for Mutual Liberation, shows protesters causing a ruckus wrong nan profession fair, including crashing cymbals and banging connected pots, arsenic attendees attempted to run astir it.

Another video posted by an Ithaca Times journalist showed students calling connected nan schoolhouse to divest from limb manufacturers.

Cornell Vice President for University Relations Joel Malina said successful a connection assemblage constabulary were pushed and shoved and guests felt threatened during nan disruption.

“And students were denied their expertise to acquisition nan Career Fair. This behaviour is unacceptable, a usurpation of assemblage policy, and illegal,” Malina stated.

“Cornell Police are moving to place those who violated our policies, and students will beryllium referred to nan Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards for contiguous action including suspension.

“Faculty and unit will beryllium referred to Human Resources. These individuals will besides beryllium taxable to imaginable criminal charges.”

The schoolhouse did not reside Rickford’s quality astatine nan march erstwhile contacted by The Post.

Rickford did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.