The United States continues to grapple with an unprecedented wave of antisemitism that began after Oct. 7 and has been gaining momentum in recent days with a massive protest by pro-Palestinian students. The protest began at Columbia University in New York and has spread to other educational institutions in the state. As a result, many Jewish students chose to leave Columbia's campus out of concern for their safety, and the university took the exceptional step of moving classes to a virtual format due to the escalating tension.
Student demonstrations on campuses across the US have been accompanied by ugly clashes between protesters and law enforcement, as well as numerous expressions of support for terrorist organizations and Iran, sparking outrage among democratic groups in the country. Chants like "Burn Tel Aviv to the ground" and "Al-Qassam Brigades, we are proud of you" were heard on campuses. The protest has exposed cracks in the Democratic coalition, with some political strategists fearing it could jeopardize President Joe Biden's re-election.
The NYPD is eager to restore order in the area and remove protesters who have set up an encampment across Columbia University, yet it's facing ongoing refusal from the institution's administration to allow local officers to operate within the university.
Meanwhile, ahead of the Passover holiday, FBI Director Christopher Wray announced that the agency has opened three times more investigations into hate crimes against Jews since Oct. 7 than in the four months preceding the Hamas attack.
