The White House on Sunday condemned the calls for “violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students” as protests continue at colleges in the U.S., including the latest demonstration at Columbia University in New York.
The statement came shortly after reports circulated Sunday that a rabbi associated with the university sent a message to 300 Jewish students to leave campus, return home and remain there ahead of the start of Passover, the Jewish holiday that begins Monday night.
The campus Hillel countered this statement, writing on the social platform X, “We do not believe that Jewish students should leave @Columbia. We do believe that the University and the City need to do more to ensure the safety of our students.”
Hillel International is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world.
Protests have been ongoing at Columbia University since last week, when dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators set up an encampment of dozens of tents on campus. Columbia University President Minouche Shafik later authorized the New York Police Department to help remove the encampment.
More than 100 protesters were taken into custody, NBC News reported last week.
All university students involved in the demonstration were told they are suspended, according to school officials.
