U.S. News
Students stage walkout of Hillary Clinton’s college class
By CM Chaney · November 3, 2023
In brief…
- Nearly 30 students walked out of Hillary Clinton's class at Columbia to protest school's response to pro-Palestinian rallies
- Protests followed Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel; over 300 faculty condemned antisemitism
- Students demanded legal support and commitment to safety after "doxxing" truck circled campus
- Clinton took strongly pro-Israel stance amid conflict, said ceasefire with Hamas "not possible"
- Columbia, Harvard, Penn created taskforces to address antisemitism on campus after conflict
Nearly 30 students walked out of a class taught by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at Columbia University on Wednesday, protesting the school’s response to recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus, according to The New York Times.
The walkout came after Columbia was rocked by pro-Palestinian rallies following Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel. Over 300 faculty members signed a letter condemning antisemitic incidents that occurred during some of the protests.
The students demanded “immediate legal support for affected students” and “a commitment to student safety, well being and privacy” after a “doxxing” truck with protestors’ names circled campus.
Clinton, who joined Columbia in February as a professor and Presidential Fellow, was teaching an “Inside the Situation Room” class with School of International and Public Affairs Dean Keren Yarhi-Milo. The protesting students thought Clinton and Yarhi-Milo would see them after class, but the two left through a side door.
Clinton took a staunchly pro-Israel stance amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, saying “People who are calling for a ceasefire now do not understand Hamas. That is not possible,” according to CBS News.
Pro-Palestinian groups at other elite universities like Harvard and Yale also blamed Israel for the attacks. Columbia, Harvard and Penn recently created task forces to combat rising antisemitism following the conflict.
Columbia and the School of International and Public Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.