Latest news with #EdenYadegar
New York Post
09-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Columbia students describe ‘intimidating' library takeover as masked protesters ‘praised' Hamas
Tensions flared at Columbia University Wednesday when masked protesters stormed the campus' main library, reigniting anti-Israel demonstrations and sparking confrontations with students and security. Columbia student Eden Yadegar described a frightening scene as dozens of demonstrators entered Butler Library where she was studying for finals. Advertisement 'Not only was it absolutely shocking and intimidating,' Yadegar told 'Fox & Friends' Thursday, 'but it was disrupting one of the most basic functions of the university.' According to Yadegar, the protesters, many wearing masks, chanted slogans including 'Intifada revolution' and 'from the river to the sea,' a phrase widely interpreted as calling for the destruction of Israel. She said campus public safety officers asked the protesters to show university ID cards in order to leave the building, at which point some protesters claimed they were being 'held hostage.' 8 Tensions flared at Columbia University when masked protesters stormed the campus's main library, reigniting anti-Israel demonstrations and sparking confrontations with students and security. X/edenyadegar Advertisement 'Which is not only just ridiculous and completely opposed to common sense, but also unbelievable to me that they would make a mockery of the fact there are 59 hostages currently being held by the very terrorist group, Hamas, that they are praising,' Yadegar said. University officials eventually called in the New York Police Department (NYPD), leading to more than 80 arrests. Videos from the scene show physical altercations, and minor injuries were reported. Photos shared from inside also depict graffiti, including 'Free Gaza' slogans scrawled on library walls and furniture. 8 'Not only was it absolutely shocking and intimidating,' Columbia student Eden Yadegar said, 'but it was disrupting one of the most basic functions of the university.' Fox News Advertisement 8 According to Yadegar, the protesters, many wearing masks, chanted slogans including 'Intifada revolution' and 'from the river to the sea,' a phrase widely interpreted as calling for the destruction of Israel. X/edenyadegar Sam Nahins, a Columbia graduate student and U.S. Air Force veteran, was also inside the library during the occupation. He said he grew concerned after recognizing individuals who had been suspended in prior protests. 'I started recognizing students who were suspended last year, who had not returned to school. And that's when I started to get a little nervous,' Nahins said during an appearance on 'America's Newsroom' Thursday. Nahins, who served overseas in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, said the protesters' behavior doesn't reflect a legitimate fight for freedom. Advertisement 8 Sam Nahins, a Columbia graduate student who also inside the library during the occupation, said he grew concerned after recognizing individuals who had been suspended in prior protests. Fox News 8 Protesters are reportedly demonstrating in support of Mahmoud Khalil, an accused leader of previous pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, and other suspended students. Obtained by NY Post 8 Videos from the scene show physical altercations, and minor injuries were reported. X/edenyadegar 'These protesters are not freedom fighters,' he said. 'What they're doing is intimidating a specific group of students. It's dangerous, and it is enough.' In response to the incident, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the government is reviewing the immigration status of individuals involved. 'We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia University's library,' Rubio wrote in a statement on X. 'Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation.' 8 University officials eventually called in the New York Police Department (NYPD), leading to more than 80 arrests. Christopher Sadowski 8 Protesters being arrested after storming and occupying the Butler Library at Columbia University in New York, NY on May 7, 2025. Christopher Sadowski Advertisement Protesters are reportedly demonstrating in support of Mahmoud Khalil, an accused ringleader of previous pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, and other suspended students. The university's acting president Claire Shipman condemned the violence, writing in part: 'Let me be clear: Columbia unequivocally rejects antisemitism and all other forms of harassment and discrimination. And we certainly reject a group of students—and we don't yet know whether there were outsiders involved—closing down a library in the middle of the week before finals and forcing 900 students out of their study spaces, many leaving belongings behind,' she said.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Columbia students describe ‘shocking' library takeover after masked protesters chanted pro-Hamas slogans
Tensions flared at Columbia University Wednesday when masked protesters stormed the campus' main library, reigniting anti-Israel demonstrations and sparking confrontations with students and security. Columbia student Eden Yadegar described a frightening scene as dozens of demonstrators entered Butler Library where she was studying for finals. "Not only was it absolutely shocking and intimidating," Yadegar told "Fox & Friends" Thursday, "but it was disrupting one of the most basic functions of the university." According to Yadegar, the protesters, many wearing masks, chanted slogans including "Intifada revolution" and "from the river to the sea," a phrase widely interpreted as calling for the destruction of Israel. Anti-israel Agitators Push Past Columbia University Security To Get Into Butler Library She said campus public safety officers asked the protesters to show university ID cards in order to leave the building, at which point some protesters claimed they were being "held hostage." Read On The Fox News App Columbia University Lays Off Around 180 Staff After Trump Administration Revokes Grants "Which is not only just ridiculous and completely opposed to common sense, but also unbelievable to me that they would make a mockery of the fact there are 59 hostages currently being held by the very terrorist group, Hamas, that they are praising," Yadegar said. University officials eventually called in the New York Police Department (NYPD), leading to more than 80 arrests. Videos from the scene show physical altercations, and minor injuries were reported. Photos shared from inside also depict graffiti including "Free Gaza" slogans scrawled on library walls and furniture. Anti-israel Columbia Protester Detained By Ice Is Freed After Federal Judge's Order Sam Nahins, a Columbia graduate student and U.S. Air Force veteran, was also inside the library during the occupation. He said he grew concerned after recognizing individuals who had been suspended in prior protests. Columbia University Janitors Sue Anti-israel Agitators Accused Of Holding Them Hostage In Campus Building "I started recognizing students who were suspended last year who had not returned to school. And that's when I started to get a little nervous," Nahins said during an appearance on "America's Newsroom" Thursday. Nahins, who served overseas in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, said the protesters' behavior doesn't reflect a legitimate fight for freedom. Columbia U Threatens To Arrest Anti-israel Protesters Remove Encampments As New Demostrations Loom "These protesters are not freedom fighters," he said. "What they're doing is intimidating a specific group of students. It's dangerous, and it is enough." In response to the incident, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the government is reviewing the immigration status of individuals involved. Trump Admin Revokes 4K Foreign Students' Visas In First 100 Days, Nearly All With Serious Criminal Records "We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia University's library," Rubio wrote in a statement on X. "Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation." Protesters are reportedly demonstrating in support of Mahmoud Khalil, an accused ringleader of previous pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, and other suspended students. The university's acting president Claire Shipman condemned the violence, writing in part: "Let me be clear: Columbia unequivocally rejects antisemitism and all other forms of harassment and discrimination. And we certainly reject a group of students—and we don't yet know whether there were outsiders involved—closing down a library in the middle of the week before finals and forcing 900 students out of their study spaces, many leaving belongings behind," she article source: Columbia students describe 'shocking' library takeover after masked protesters chanted pro-Hamas slogans
Fox News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Columbia students describe ‘shocking' library takeover after masked protesters chanted pro-Hamas slogans
Tensions flared at Columbia University Wednesday when masked protesters stormed the campus' main library, reigniting anti-Israel demonstrations and sparking confrontations with students and security. Columbia student Eden Yadegar described a frightening scene as dozens of demonstrators entered Butler Library where she was studying for finals. "Not only was it absolutely shocking and intimidating," Yadegar told "Fox & Friends" Thursday, "but it was disrupting one of the most basic functions of the university." According to Yadegar, the protesters, many wearing masks, chanted slogans including "Intifada revolution" and "from the river to the sea," a phrase widely interpreted as calling for the destruction of Israel. She said campus public safety officers asked the protesters to show university ID cards in order to leave the building, at which point some protesters claimed they were being "held hostage." "Which is not only just ridiculous and completely opposed to common sense, but also unbelievable to me that they would make a mockery of the fact there are 59 hostages currently being held by the very terrorist group, Hamas, that they are praising," Yadegar said. University officials eventually called in the New York Police Department (NYPD), leading to more than 80 arrests. Videos from the scene show physical altercations, and minor injuries were reported. Photos shared from inside also depict graffiti including "Free Gaza" slogans scrawled on library walls and furniture. Sam Nahins, a Columbia graduate student and U.S. Air Force veteran, was also inside the library during the occupation. He said he grew concerned after recognizing individuals who had been suspended in prior protests. "I started recognizing students who were suspended last year who had not returned to school. And that's when I started to get a little nervous," Nahins said during an appearance on "America's Newsroom" Thursday. Nahins, who served overseas in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, said the protesters' behavior doesn't reflect a legitimate fight for freedom. "These protesters are not freedom fighters," he said. "What they're doing is intimidating a specific group of students. It's dangerous, and it is enough." In response to the incident, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the government is reviewing the immigration status of individuals involved. "We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia University's library," Rubio wrote in a statement on X. "Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation." Protesters are reportedly demonstrating in support of Mahmoud Khalil, an accused ringleader of previous pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, and other suspended students. The university's acting president Claire Shipman condemned the violence, writing in part: "Let me be clear: Columbia unequivocally rejects antisemitism and all other forms of harassment and discrimination. And we certainly reject a group of students—and we don't yet know whether there were outsiders involved—closing down a library in the middle of the week before finals and forcing 900 students out of their study spaces, many leaving belongings behind," she said.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Masked Columbia protesters march on campus, defying Trump-ordered ban on face coverings
Dozens of masked protesters swarmed Columbia University's campus less than 72 hours after school officials enacted restrictions curbing face coverings to comply with a Trump administration order aimed at combatting antisemitism in higher ed. The fresh round of demonstrations led a Jewish Columbia student to question whether the new rules went far enough. 'They're protesting the mask ban. They're defying what they perceive is a mask ban. There is no mask ban,' Eden Yadegar, 21, a senior Middle East studies major told The Post. 'It's frightening to see what has happened over the last 18 months. I'm concerned about the future of higher education. It's really disturbing what has been happening, the desecration of our community,' she said. The protesters, organized by the Graduate Student Union and the Palestine Solidarity Coalition, put out a cattle call on social media Monday, proclaiming it 'Mask-Up Monday' — provocatively thumbing their noses at the university's newly announced restrictions and urging students, faculty and staff to skip work or class for the day. 'Columbia, in collaboration with the White House, is attempting to repress its students fighting for Palestinian liberation just as 'Israel' has broken the ceasefire and re-escalated its genocide of Palestine,' a flyer making the rounds online read in part. The Trump administration called for a total ban on masks at campus protests as part of a sweeping list of university reforms in a March 3 letter penned by a joint task force composed of the Department of Education, the General Services Administration and Health and Human Services. The Ivy League school was given a month to comply or risk losing around $400 million in federal funding. On Friday, Columbia announced it would cooperate with the order, instituting numerous policy changes in direct accordance with the task force's demands. Among the changes, the university banned all face coverings on campus worn 'for the purpose of concealing one's identity in the commission of violations of university policies or state, municipal or federal laws.' The university also said it would now require anyone on campus wearing a mask to promptly identify themselves when asked by a public safety officer, or be subject to 'discipline, being escorted off campus and detention for trespass where appropriate.' Yadegar, a former member of Students Supporting Israel, said she's 'cautiously optimistic' that the reforms will improve conditions on campus — as long as the school actually enforces them. 'Every time I get my hopes up, we take three steps backward,' she said. The Morningside Heights campus has become a hotbed of antisemitic sloganeering and demonstrations since Israel declared war on Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attacks, including most infamously a violent takeover of Hamilton Hall last spring where rioters draped a giant banner calling for 'intifada.' In a statement to The Post, the university reiterated its new policies regarding masks on campus — pledging 'any violations will be met with consequences' — while reaffirming its commitment to adhering to the terms of the budding agreement with the Trump administration. 'Columbia is fully committed to the steps we announced last week to continue to combat antisemitism and all forms of discrimination and harassment,' the statement read. The Trump administration joint task force issued a statement ahead of Monday's protests saying it was 'encouraged' by the University's initial steps. 'Columbia is demonstrating appropriate cooperation with the Trump Administration's requirements, and we look forward to a lasting resolution,' said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. 'I have been in communication with Columbia University Interim President Katrina Armstrong over the last few weeks and appreciate her leadership and commitment to advance truly meaningful reforms on campus.'
