Columbia University: Intense Protests as Speaker Johnson Demands President's Resignation Amidst Palestinian Encampments and Allegations of Harassment Against Jewish Students
Columbia University witnessed intense protests for six days
House Speaker Mike Johnson demanded President Nemat Shafik's resignation
Jewish students described being harassed and intimidated for their faith and support of Israel
Johnson accused universities of pursuing a 'woke' agenda and tramping on parental rights
Protesters erected encampments in support of Palestine due to recent UN finding of mass graves in Gaza
University administration clashes with student body over encampments, demanding divestment from companies with financial ties to Israel
In a dramatic turn of events, Columbia University witnessed intense protests as pro-Palestinian demonstrators camped on campus for six days. The situation escalated when House Speaker Mike Johnson visited the university to demand the resignation of its president, Nemat Shafik. Johnson accused elite colleges and universities of pursuing a 'woke' agenda that tramples on parental rights and called for Columbia University's president to resign for failing to quickly dismantle the encampments and ensure Jewish students feel safe on campus. The speaker was met with boos, laughs, and pro-Palestinian chants during his visit. Johnson also threatened to call Joe Biden after his visit and demand executive action if the protests continued, even suggesting using the National Guard if necessary. Protesters had erected encampments in support of Palestine due to the recent UN finding of mass graves in Gaza where Palestinians, including women, the elderly, and wounded individuals were found dead with bound hands. Jewish students at Columbia described being harassed and intimidated for their faith and support of Israel. Anti-Zionist Jewish students had joined with pro-Palestine protesters for the ongoing demonstrations.
Columbia University has been embroiled in controversy as its administration clashes with the student body over the encampments. The university has said it would continue negotiating with the protesters, who are demanding that it divest from companies with financial ties to Israel. As tensions rise, students have continued to rally and demonstrate on campus.
House Speaker Mike Johnson visited Columbia University to call for the university’s president to resign and address Jewish students amid ongoing pro-Palestine protests.
Protests had been ongoing due to the UN finding ‘mass graves’ in Gaza where Palestinians, including women, the elderly, and wounded had been found dead with bound hands.
Johnson was met with boos and shouts from protesters during his speech.
He called the protesters ‘lawless agitators’ and characterized all of the pro-Palestine protests across US campuses as ‘antisemitic’.
Jewish students at Columbia described being harassed and intimidated for their faith and support of Israel.
Anti-Zionist Jewish students had joined with pro-Palestine protesters for the ongoing demonstrations.
Johnson called on Columbia University President Minouche Shafik to resign due to her ‘failure’ to protect Jewish students on campus.
He threatened to call Joe Biden after his visit and demand executive action if the protests continued, and even suggested using the National Guard if necessary.
Accuracy
Protests had been ongoing due to the UN finding 'mass graves' in Gaza where Palestinians, including women, the elderly, and wounded had been found dead with bound hands.
He threatened to call Joe Biden after his visit and demand executive action if the protests continued.
Deception
(30%)
The author uses emotional manipulation by labeling the protesters as 'lawless agitators', 'hatred and antisemitism', and 'those who are perpetrating this violence'. He also uses sensational language such as 'mass graves' and implies that all pro-Palestine protests are antisemitic. The author selectively reports details, focusing only on the negative aspects of the protests while ignoring any potential valid reasons for them. He also makes a false equivalence between Jewish students being harassed and Palestinian students protesting for their rights.
Mr Johnson said she should step down unless she could immediately end the protests on campus. He was met with a loud chorus of boos after calling for her resignation.
He called the protesters ‘lawless agitators’ and characterised all of the pro-Palestine protests across US campuses as ‘antisemitic’.
He threatened that Congress would cut federal financing to state-funded universities if the protests continued.
Fallacies
(80%)
The author uses inflammatory rhetoric by labeling the protesters as 'lawless agitators' and 'antisemitic'. He also makes a dichotomous depiction by characterizing all pro-Palestine protests as antisemitic. The author also appeals to authority when he calls on Columbia University President Minouche Shafik to resign due to her 'failure' in his estimation, and threatens the use of the National Guard.
>The day before his visit, the UN issued a report that it had found "mass graves" in Gaza, where Palestinians — including women, the elderly, and the wounded — had been found dead. Some of the remains allegedly had their hands bound.
Mr Johnson called the protesters "lawless agitators" and characterised all of the pro-Palestine protests across US campuses as "antisemitic”.
He was met with a loud chorus of boos after calling for her resignation.
My intention is to call President Biden after we leave here and share with him what we have seen with our own two eyes and demand that he take action, there is executive authority that would be appropriate. If this is not contained quickly, and if these threats and intimidation are not stopped, there is an appropriate time for the National Guard."
Bias
(10%)
The author's statements towards the protesters are not objective and demonstrate a clear bias against them. He labels them as 'lawless agitators', 'disgusting', 'unnecessary', and 'antisemitic'. He also characterizes their protests as chaos, violence, and hatred. The author also calls for the resignation of Columbia University President Minouche Shafik due to her supposed failure to protect Jewish students on campus. This is a biased statement as it assumes that the president is responsible for the actions of protesters and ignores any potential role that university security or law enforcement may play in maintaining order.
He called the protests ‘disgusting’ and ‘unnecessary’ ahead of his visit.
He said she should step down unless she could immediately end the protests on campus.
Mr Johnson called the protesters ‘lawless agitators’ and characterised all of the pro-Palestine protests across US campuses as 'antisemitic'.
House Speaker Mike Johnson demanded that Columbia’s president, Nemat Shafik, resign for failing to quickly dismantle the encampments and ensure Jewish people on campus feel safe.
Johnson accused elite colleges and universities of skewing left and pursuing a ‘woke’ agenda that tramples on parental rights.
Accuracy
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican colleagues visited Columbia University in New York City where tensions are high between the university administration and students who have erected pro-Palestinian encampments.
Johnson demanded that Columbia’s president, Nemat Shafik, resign for failing to quickly dismantle the encampments and ensure Jewish people on campus feel safe.
Around 4 p.m. Wednesday, Johnson appeared on the steps of Columbia’s library and was met with boos, laughs and pro-Palestinian chants from students.
GOP lawmakers are seeking to slash federal funding for universities over antisemitic harassment of Jewish students on campus.
Deception
(30%)
The article contains selective reporting and emotional manipulation. The author focuses on the confrontation between House Speaker Mike Johnson and students at Columbia University, highlighting only the instances of boos, laughs, and pro-Palestinian chants from the students. This creates a biased narrative that implies the students are hostile towards Jewish people without providing any context or evidence for their actions. The author also uses emotional language such as 'chaos' and 'genocide' to manipulate readers' emotions and create a sense of urgency.
Around 4 p.m. Wednesday, the Louisiana Republican — who just shepherded through Congress a $26 billion aid package for Israel, including $9 billion in humanitarian help to Gaza and elsewhere — appeared on the steps of Columbia’s stately library.
But the Democrats were adamant about the need to protect students with backgrounds like theirs. “Imagine trying to study for finals at Columbia, while people outside the library are calling for your death.”
Johnson said. “As speaker of the House, I’m committed today that the Congress will not be silent as Jewish students are expected to run for their lives and stay home from their classes hiding in fear.”
Fallacies
(80%)
The article contains several instances of inflammatory rhetoric used by both the author and the students. The students use phrases such as 'Free Palestine', 'Stop the genocide', and 'From the river to the sea' which some consider antisemitic. Johnson uses phrases like 'chaos' and 'this problem' when referring to Columbia University, implying that there is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. However, no formal logical fallacies were identified in the article.
]imagine trying to study for finals at Columbia, while people outside the library are calling for your death[/
To the administrators at Columbia and beyond, here are our demands: Stop the double talk and start acting. Discipline harassers. Restore civility on this campus. Encourage peaceful, constructive, civil dialogue. Every student has a right to be safe on campus.[
Bias
(75%)
The authors use language that depicts one side as extreme or unreasonable by using phrases like 'woke agenda', 'antiwar outbursts', and 'protesters on this campus, and you are proud that you’ve been endorsed by Hamas, you are part of the problem'. They also quote students chanting phrases that some consider antisemitic. The authors do not provide any counter-arguments or context to these quotes, which could give the impression of bias against the pro-Palestinian students.
But the antiwar outbursts on campuses across the country that began shortly after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel – and the rise of antisemitism on college campuses, according to the Anti-Defamation League – are now oft-repeated targets of Republican criticism.
GOP lawmakers are seeking to slash federal funding for universities and have hauled university officials to Capitol Hill to answer questions such as whether ‘calling for the genocide of Jews’ would violate their schools’ code of conduct.
If these campuses cannot get control of this problem, they do not deserve taxpayer dollars.
If you are a protester on this campus, and you are proud that you’ve been endorsed by Hamas, you are part of the problem.
Rep. Michael Lawler (R-N.Y.) was much more forceful in his rebuke of students, acknowledging that he too wants Palestinians to be free ‘from their oppressor, Hamas’, and characterized any students who support the terrorist organization as ‘an absolute abomination.’
