Columbia Professor to Mayor Adams: 'Do Something!'

Columbia University Business Professor Shai Davidai demanded New York City Mayor Eric Adams "do something" to quell the anti-Israel student demonstrations and antisemitism that has roiled the campus for nearly a week.

"Last night, what you saw at Columbia University is open support for Hamas," Davidai, who is Jewish, said in a video posted to X Sunday night. "Holding signs saying 'al-Qassam brigade your next target' pointing at Jewish students."

"So, here you have it: While U.S. citizens are being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas and by the Islamic jihad, you have students at Columbia University and faculty at Columbia University who are cheering on Hamas," he said, drawing boos from the audience.

"Columbia's administration not only won't do anything about it, they are refusing to let the NYPD in," Davidai continued. "They are letting the terrorists in and keeping the NYPD out."

In the video, Davidai said his message was not intended for the "cowards" in Columbia's administration.

"My message is to the mayor: We don't need your empty remarks about not being OK," he said. "Right now, right now, we are not OK! Do something!"

If Adams can't or won't take action, Davidai threatened to "vote [him] out or impeach [him]," as well as "call on the governor, Kathy Hochul" to handle the volatile situation.

"You have the National Guard," he said, appealing directly to Hochul. "You have terrorists in a university at New York — that's your state. Bring in the National Guard. We are going to rid this country of terrorists and terrorist supporters!"

"We believe in love, we believe in free speech, but we believe that enough is enough!" he added.

On Sunday, Adams announced an increased police presence around the perimeter of the university amid ongoing protests.

"Columbia University is a private institution on private property, which means the NYPD cannot have a presence on campus unless specifically requested by senior university officials," Adams said on X.

"The NYPD has an increased presence of officers situated around the campus to protect students and all New Yorkers on public streets, and they stand ready to respond if a request is made by the university, like was done this past Thursday," he said.

With Passover — a major Jewish holiday — set to begin Monday night, Columbia President Minouche Shafik announced that all classes would be held virtually in order to "deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps."

"During the coming days, a working group of Deans, university administrators and faculty members will try to bring this crisis to a resolution," Shafik said.

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