Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., joined other Jewish members of Congress on a Monday visit to the protest-roiled campus at Columbia University — warning university leaders they'll "pay the price" if the demonstrations aren't reigned in.
At a press conference following the visit, Gottheimer declared to Jewish students that "while the leadership of Columbia may be failing you, we will not," The Hill reported.
"We are all standing here today as Jewish members of Congress to make one thing clear, Jewish students are welcome here at Columbia," Gottheimer said, adding:
"We will do everything in our power to keep you safe and do everything in Washington we can to make sure that you feel welcome at this university or any university across the United States of America.
"And Columbia University, if they don't follow through, will pay the price," he vowed, The Hill reported.
With Gottheimer were Democratic Reps. Dan Goldman of New York, Kathy Manning of North Carolina, and Jared Moskowitz of Florida, the outlet reported.
Protesters occupying Columbia's campus since Friday have called out the Biden administration's response to the Israel-Hamas war — and want a cease-fire, and demand Congress stop sending military aid to Israel, The Hill reported.
Manning tied the protests to an education committee hearing, where Shafik was grilled by lawmakers on rising antisemitism on college campuses, ending with Shafik committing to new campus rules to protect Jewish students.
"Sadly, since that hearing, the protests have become more extreme, more hostile, more threatening, with various bluntly antisemitic chants," Manning said, The Hill reported.
"While free speech and the right to protest are an important part of this university's history, those rights must be exercised in accordance with the rules the school has established."
Moskowitz and Manning committed to pursuing bipartisan action in Congress to work against antisemitism on campuses nationwide.
"I hope that we can figure out the difference between free speech and unacceptable antisemitism," Moskowitz said. "We in Congress will do everything we can on a bipartisan basis to make sure that we're not just protecting the Jewish students here and their families, but we're doing that around the country."
Goldman called the demonstrations "unacceptable" and urged university leaders to clear the encampment.
"There is no question that everyone has a First Amendment right to speak out in this country and that must be preserved, but the university and all universities have an obligation to maintain the safety and security of their students," Goldman said.
"We can have discourse, we can have disagreement, but we cannot have harassment or violence," he added. "And that is … the university's responsibility to enforce."
Fran Beyer ✉
Fran Beyer is a writer with Newsmax and covers national politics.
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