Edited by: Fern Sidman

Columbia University, one of the most prestigious institutions in the United States, is currently facing a disturbing and radical movement within its student body that threatens not only the campus community but also the broader ideals of Western civilization, according to a report on Saturday in The New York Post, A coalition known as Columbia University Apartheid Divest, consisting of 116 student groups, has recently made alarming declarations advocating for the “total eradication of Western civilization,” The Post report said. This coalition, which has been highly active in anti-Israel protests, has escalated its rhetoric to dangerous new levels, calling for extreme actions to bring about the collapse of what they describe as an oppressive empire.

The group’s latest statement, posted on Instagram on August 7, is a chilling manifesto that aligns itself with violent movements in the Global South. Drawing inspiration from the recent upheaval in Bangladesh, where former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted amid bloody anti-government protests, the coalition openly declares its solidarity with these movements and vows to continue escalating their tactics in the United States.

“We are Westerners fighting for the total eradication of Western civilization,” the group boldly proclaims, revealing the depth of their ideological commitment to dismantling the very foundations of the society in which they reside. Indicated in The Post report, this is not merely a call for political or social change; it is a radical rejection of the principles of democracy, free speech, and human rights that underpin Western institutions.

The situation in Bangladesh, where protests have morphed into violent attacks against Hindu minorities, serves as a stark warning of what can happen when extremist ideologies are allowed to take root and spread unchecked, as was revealed in The Post report. The Columbia student coalition’s endorsement of these tactics, and their explicit threat to escalate their own actions, is a clear indication that they are prepared to use similar methods to achieve their goals.

The radical agenda of Columbia University Apartheid Divest is not limited to rhetoric. On April 30, members of the coalition stormed Columbia’s historic Hamilton Hall, briefly seizing control of the building and renaming it “Hind’s Hall” in honor of Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old Palestinian girl killed in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, The Post report said. This act of occupation, which disrupted university operations and posed a serious security threat, was a symbolic declaration of the group’s willingness to take direct action against what they perceive as symbols of Western oppression.

The renaming of Hamilton Hall after a child victim of war was not just an act of protest against Israel but a broader statement against Western involvement in global conflicts. By choosing to honor a victim of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the group aligned itself with anti-Israel and anti-Western sentiments.

The coalition’s manifesto, combined with their actions, represents a direct threat to the values of Western civilization. Their call for the “total eradication” of these values is a rejection of the democratic principles, individual freedoms, and legal frameworks that have allowed movements for social justice and human rights to flourish in the West. The irony is that the very freedoms that allow these students to protest and express their views are rooted in the Western tradition they seek to destroy.