Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) said Friday that she was “enormously proud” of her daughter, Isra Hirsi, who was arrested Thursday while participating in an anti-Israel protest at Columbia University.
“I am enormously proud of my daughter @israhirsi,” Omar posted on X. “She has always led with courage and compassion, from organizing a statewide school walk out on the 20th anniversary of Columbine at the age of 15, to leading the biggest youth climate rally at our nation’s Capitol at 16, and now pushing her school to stand against genocide. Stepping up to change what you can’t tolerate is why we as a country have the right to speech, assembly, and petition enshrined in our constitution.”
I am enormously proud of my daughter @israhirsi.
She has always led with courage and compassion, from organizing a statewide school walk out on the 20th anniversary of Columbine at the age of 15, to leading the biggest youth climate rally at our nation’s Capitol at 16, and now…— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 19, 2024
Photos posted to X show Hirsi being arrested by several NYPD officers after she refused to leave the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” that had been set up by anti-Israel protesters on Columbia’s campus in violation of the school’s rules.
According to the New York Post, over 100 students were arrested at the campus encampment on Thursday. Hirsi was released from jail a few hours after her arrest, and she will face trespassing charges, sources told Fox News.
Earlier on Thursday, Hirsi also announced that she was suspended from Columbia’s partner school, Barnard College for participating in the protest.
“I’m an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP, in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege i have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings,” Hirsi tweeted. “I just received notice that i am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.”
Other members of the Democratic “Squad” rallied to Hirsi’s defense after her suspension from Barnard and her arrest.
“What is going on here @BarnardCollege @Columbia? How does a student with no disciplinary record suddenly get to a suspension less than 24 hours after a nonviolent protest?” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) tweeted. “What merits asymmetric crackdowns on Palestinian human rights protests?”
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“From UM to Vanderbilt to USC to Columbia, students across our country are being retaliated against for using their constitutional rights to protest genocide. It’s appalling,” Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) posted.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) claimed that Hirsi’s arrested was a political reprisal against Omar for questioning Columbia’s commitment to free speech.
The day after @IlhanMN questioned Columbia leadership’s commitment to free academic expression, the school suspended her daughter? It’s clear what is happening here.
Our educational institutions should not be in the business of political reprisals. https://t.co/qX2I83lFrV
— Rep. Jamaal Bowman Ed.D. (@JamaalBowmanNY) April 18, 2024
“The day after @IlhanMN questioned Columbia leadership’s commitment to free academic expression, the school suspended her daughter?” Bowman wrote. “It’s clear what is happening here. Our educational institutions should not be in the business of political reprisals.”
Kassy Akiva contributed to this report.