During Columbia University’s graduation ceremony in New York City on Tuesday morning, students interrupted by shouting, “Free Mahmoud!” as Acting University President Claire Shipman was speaking.
Shipman was immediately met with boos when she stepped up to the podium to speak during the Columbia College Class Day ceremony.
As Shipman attempted to address the gathering, she was met with continued heckling from the crowd. She intended to highlight the challenges and changes the class had endured, noting their resilience.
Despite interruptions, Shipman remarked, “You’ve shown remarkable adaptability and resilience during rapidly changing times, demonstrating deep care for the world and its people,” persisting through repeated disruptions to her speech.
A mob of protesters showed up at the library as students were studying for finals, reportedly to rally support for Khalil. They also continued to demand the university divest from Israel. (Sam Nahins)
Columbia’s acting president said at the time that she went to the library “as the events were unfolding” and was disappointed with what she saw, including one Columbia public safety officer being wheeled out on a gurney and another being treated for injuries.
Shipman also said the reading room at the library was “defaced and damaged in disturbing ways and with disturbing slogans.”
“Violence and vandalism, hijacking a library—none of that has any place on our campus. These aren’t Columbia’s values,” she said.
Shipman, who took over in March following the resignation of the former president and the stepping down of the subsequent interim president, said this behavior will not be tolerated at Columbia.
Tuesday’s heckling also comes a day after Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi was allowed to walk across a graduation stage and receive his degree from the Ivy League school.
The 34-year-old activist, draped in a keffiyeh, smiled as he took the stage.
Court documents show Mahdawi was investigated twice in 2015 and 2016 for disturbing and antisemitic comments. In the documents, police allege that Mahdawi told a man, “I like to kill Jews.” In another incident, police allege he said he “used to build modified 9mm submachine guns to kill Jews while he was in Palestine.”
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.
