Columbia Faces Mounting Pressure to Hold Anti-Israel Library Rioters Accountable After Chaotic Campus Takeover

By: Fern Sidman

Columbia University is facing intense scrutiny from Jewish advocacy groups, students, and federal officials after a violent anti-Israel protest erupted inside Butler Library on Wednesday, resulting in the arrest of more than 80 individuals and raising urgent concerns over campus safety and rising antisemitism. As reported by The New York Post on Thursday, the university has confirmed that disciplinary action — including student suspensions — has already begun, though the exact number of suspensions has not been disclosed.

The chaotic incident, which unfolded as students prepared for final exams, saw masked demonstrators force their way into the iconic library at Columbia’s Morningside Heights campus, committing acts of vandalism, physically injuring two campus safety officers, and forcing hundreds of students to evacuate. Law enforcement sources told The New York Post that 81 individuals — 62 women and 19 men — were arrested and later released with tickets or summonses for trespassing or criminal mischief. Four additional summonses were issued by campus Special Patrol Officers.

In a firm video statement released Thursday morning, Columbia’s acting president, Claire Shipman, condemned the violent intrusion as a “substantial chaos” that disrupted the academic environment for nearly 900 students and vowed that “disciplinary proceedings will reflect the severity of the actions.”

Jewish leaders and Columbia alumni have been swift and unequivocal in their response. “What happens the day after? We need to see serious consequences,” Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, told The New York Post. “This happened during preparation for final exams — they don’t qualify as serious students. There should be harsh consequences — people were assaulted. Columbia needs to come down hard or this activity will happen again and again.”

The Columbia Jewish Alumni Association echoed that sentiment in a statement also quoted by The New York Post, describing the protest as rife with “violence, destruction of property and antisemitic acts.” The group thanked the university for involving the NYPD but insisted on firm disciplinary action, stating, “We look forward to Columbia holding these students accountable for their actions so that the 99% of Jewish and non-Jewish students can do what they pay for — focus on learning.”

Student reactions ranged from fear to fury. Natan Rosenbaum, a junior majoring in American Studies, said the protest was “completely inexcusable” and praised Shipman for authorizing police action. “It’s a big shame and a big offense to students who are trying to study for the finals,” he said. “This is nothing more than sowing chaos and anarchy, and I’m glad it was shut down.”

Elisha Baker, another Columbia junior, told The New York Post she was “grateful” for the bravery of Columbia Public Safety officers, who were significantly outnumbered. “There is no place for those actions on a college campus,” she said. “I am looking forward to seeing any students involved disciplined for their behavior.”

Even visiting Israelis like Matan Barak, a 22-year-old IDF soldier, weighed in. “What are they waiting for? For something worse to happen?” he asked. “Why do they still have people that go to school here that want to kill Jews? That’s what they want to do.”

Columbia has been under pressure from the Trump administration to combat antisemitism on campus, especially in the wake of the October 7 Hamas terror attacks in Israel that killed more than 1,200 people. As The New York Post reported, the administration has threatened to withhold nearly $400 million in federal funding if the university fails to address ongoing antisemitic incidents, including allowing masked agitators to engage in disruptive and hostile acts under the guise of protest.

In March, Columbia agreed in principle to a series of reforms, including empowering campus security to make arrests and banning mask-wearing during policy violations. Nearly all of Wednesday’s library rioters flagrantly violated that rule, entering the library with their faces covered to evade identification and disciplinary consequences.

University policy now allows officers to request students briefly lower their masks for ID checks. Refusing to comply may result in removal or arrest for trespassing. The report in The New York Post indicated that the protest, therefore, may become a test case for how seriously Columbia intends to enforce these new measures.

In addition to disciplinary proceedings, the federal government may also take action against foreign students who participated in the riot. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Thursday that officials are “reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia University’s library.”

In a post on X, Rubio wrote: “Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation,” signaling that foreign students who broke the law or violated their visa terms may be deported or barred from reentry.

The violent protest at Butler Library is just the latest in a series of disturbing incidents that have marred Columbia’s campus since pro-Hamas, pro-terror activism surged following the October 7 massacre. From encampments to antisemitic graffiti and now outright assaults and property destruction, Columbia’s response has come under intense scrutiny — not just from the federal government, but also from the broader Jewish community and its own student body.

As The New York Post report pointed out, how the university proceeds in disciplining the 81 arrested protesters could become a defining moment for its administration. The school has promised accountability, but many are waiting to see whether those promises result in expulsions, bans, and a campus atmosphere where Jewish students can once again feel safe.

With final exams underway and tensions still simmering, the message from both students and alumni is clear: leniency is not an option. Columbia must now decide whether to uphold its commitments — not just to the law, but to the thousands of students who came for an education, not an intifada.