This isn’t the first time Columbia University president Minouche Shafik has faced questions over how she will discipline an anti-Semitic mob on her campus, and her past performance has critics in Congress concerned that Columbia’s protesters will get off unscathed.
In 2021, with Shafik at the helm of the London School of Economics, the Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom Tzipi Hotovely was swarmed by a mob of protesters after she was invited to speak at the prestigious university’s Debating Society.
Video from the November 9, 2021 incident shows police had to hold back a mob of Palestinian flag-waving protesters who attempted to swarm her car — protesters reportedly chanted the genocidal “From the River to the Sea” chant and waved the flags of U.S.-designated terror organization, Kata’ib Hezbollah.
Disturbing display of antisemitism:
Israeli Ambassador to the UK @TzipiHotovely was evacuated from an event at the London School of Economics last night on the anniversary of #Kristallnacht.
— Julie Lenarz (@MsJulieLenarz) November 10, 2021
Though the university, similar to Columbia, called intimidation and threats of violence “completely unacceptable” and warned that “students identified as being involved in making such threats will face disciplinary action,” there’s no indication that any such action was taken. Neither the university nor Shafik, who had been president of the school since 2017, responded to requests for comment on the incident.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), who has been one of Shafik’s harshest critics and has called on her to resign, said the incident gives her “zero confidence” that there will be consequences for the “pro-terrorist” students.
“Columbia University President Shafik’s history of allowing students who perpetrate antisemitic attacks to go unpunished gives me zero confidence that Shafik will follow through and hold Columbia students accountable for their role in the antisemitic, pro-terrorist mob that has seized control of the university,” Stefanik told The Daily Wire. “Shafik must be terminated immediately, and Columbia University must make public the names of every student suspended or expelled for taking part in this antisemitic mob.”
Columbia’s Hamilton Hall and South Lawn were cleared of anti-Israel protesters after nearly two weeks of the school engaging in negotiations with students and refusing to clear the encampment permanently by force. While the school has continually threatened disciplinary actions, some worry that the students will avoid consequences.
Similarly to the ongoing protests on college campuses across the United States, there was overt anti-Semitism present at the 2021 incident at Shafik’s London School of Economics.
The 2021 mob coincided with the 83rd anniversary of Kristallnacht — also known as the Night of Broken Glass — when Jewish-owned stores, buildings, and synagogues were vandalized by Nazis across Germany.
Ahead of the event, an Instagram account called LSEclasswar encouraged violence, according to The Jerusalem Post, writing “Whoever smashes the Ambassador [sic] car window gets pints. Let’s f**king frighten her.”
Several of the students who hosted Hotovely were followed home, harassed, and threatened with violence, according to The Daily Mail.
“At the end of the talk I waited for my friends to leave the premises so that I could walk with them,” a student reportedly said. “More worryingly four to five individuals began to follow us as we walked down Lincoln park and these individuals in particular began to verbally harass the organizers by saying the ‘Kashmiri people are ashamed of you’ and that ‘’you are war criminals.’”
“One individual in particular began to physically threaten the organizers by saying ‘I will f*** you up, p****holes’ and ‘come on, fight me, p****holes.’” the student added.
The event was the first of a series which included a subsequent event with the Palestinian ambassador to the U.K., Husam Zomlot.
Hotovely thanked the British government for support following the ordeal, and said she would not be intimidated.
I’m thankful for all the support I have received from the British government, many friends and partners.
I had an excellent event at #LSE and I will not be intimidated. I will continue to share the Israeli story and hold open dialogue with all parts of British society. pic.twitter.com/12xFp87Kc2
— Tzipi Hotovely (@TzipiHotovely) November 10, 2021