Gov Kathy Hochul Criticized for Weak Response to Campus Anti-Semitism in NY Post Editorial

Gov Kathy Hochul Criticized for Weak Response to Campus Anti-Semitism in NY Post Editorial

Edited by: Fern Sidman

A scathing editorial published by the New York Post has sharply criticized New York Governor Kathy Hochul for failing to confront the escalating crisis of anti-Semitism on college campuses. As VIN News reported on Thursday, the editorial highlighted a recent violent incident at Barnard College as a glaring example of Hochul’s weak leadership and reluctance to take decisive action against anti-Semitic extremism in the state’s higher education institutions.

According to the information provided in the VIN News report, the latest episode of campus unrest unfolded on Wednesday at Barnard’s Millman Hall, where masked protesters wearing keffiyehs stormed the building, disrupting classes, beating drums, and physically assaulting a school employee so severely that they required hospitalization. The New York Post report likened the chaotic scene to the notorious takeover of Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall last year and condemned Hochul for her failure to issue a forceful response. As the report at VIN News detailed, critics argue that the governor’s inaction has only emboldened those who incite violence under the guise of political protest, knowing that there will be little to no repercussions for their behavior.

Further fueling concerns over Hochul’s leadership,VIN News reported that the New York Post editorial also criticized the governor for skipping a scheduled event at City College the following day. Allegedly, Hochul’s absence was due to fears that anti-Semitic agitators would disrupt the proceedings. The New York Post, as noted by VIN News, argued that by failing to stand firm against campus Jew haters, Hochul has allowed disorder to thrive and has indirectly encouraged further hostility towards Jewish students and faculty members.

Hochul’s response to the widespread issue of campus anti-Semitism has been marked by political caution rather than decisive action, as was observed in the VIN News report. The New York Post editorial specifically highlighted her appointment of former judge Jonathan Lippman to investigate anti-Semitism within the City University of New York (CUNY) system. However, as the VIN News report pointed out, the resulting report largely recommended superficial measures—such as minor adjustments to the school’s complaint portal—rather than substantive steps to hold those fostering anti-Semitism accountable. Critics argue that without meaningful consequences, anti-Semitic incidents will continue unchecked.

One of the most alarming aspects of the New York Post editorial was its examination of the broader environment at CUNY, which has been accused of fostering an anti-Jewish atmosphere. As was detailed in the VIN News report, the university recently came under scrutiny for nearly introducing a course that labeled Israel as an “apartheid state” guilty of “genocide.” Yet, rather than taking a firm stand against such rhetoric, Hochul merely paused the initiative instead of holding those responsible accountable. According to VIN News, the New York Post editorial asserted that CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez and Board Chairman William Thompson should have been removed long ago for their failure to address the issue.

Adding to these concerns, VIN News reported that the New York Post editorial highlighted accusations made by CUNY professor Jeffrey Lax. Lax has alleged that CUNY has systematically replaced Jewish faculty members with anti-Israel activists, including a chief diversity officer with ties to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. As the VIN News report recounted, these claims further underscore the argument that anti-Semitism has been allowed to proliferate within the CUNY system with little oversight or accountability.

Rather than addressing the root causes of the problem, VIN News noted that the New York Post editorial criticized Hochul for taking only symbolic steps, such as minor improvements to complaint procedures, while failing to implement concrete measures such as banning masks that allow violent agitators to hide their identities. Critics contend that without firm action, anti-Semitic extremism will continue to spread across New York’s universities, creating an increasingly hostile environment for Jewish students and faculty.

The New York Post editorial concludes by labeling Hochul an “inveterate fence-sitter” who lacks the resolve to combat campus anti-Semitism effectively. The article argues that until the governor enforces real consequences—such as firing complicit administrators and ensuring that violent protesters face legal repercussions—anti-Semitism will remain a persistent threat on college campuses throughout the state. The VIN News report highlighted that critics insist on immediate and decisive action to restore order and ensure that New York’s universities remain places of learning rather than hotbeds of visceral Jew hatred and violence.

With anti-Semitism continuing to rise at alarming rates, the VIN News report indicated that the New York Post editorial serves as a powerful call for Governor Hochul to move beyond mere rhetoric and take meaningful action to protect Jewish students, faculty, and the integrity of New York’s higher education institutions.