Democratic Majority for Israel Board Co-Chairs Todd Richman and Ann Lewis, together with President & CEO Mark Mellman released the following statement:
“The right to free speech and peaceful protest are bedrocks of American democracy, which must be respected even when one vigorously disagrees with the views protesters espouse.
“But the attempts at intimidation and the incitement to violence, heard at Columbia and elsewhere are absolutely unacceptable and campus administrators must not tolerate them.
“We believe that university leaders and other people of conscience have not just the right but the obligation to condemn those who express support for and glorify brutal terrorists—and we must make clear the evil emanating from their slogans and chants.
“University leaders are also obligated to protect their Jewish students, faculty and staff from the threats and intimidation emanating from protesters.
“While demonstrators have a right to express support for murderous terrorist organizations, they must do so within the bounds of the law and university codes of conduct—and must held accountable when they violate laws and rules.
“We applaud the Biden administration for forcefully calling out the vile antisemitism we are witnessing on many college campuses and appreciate Governor Hochul and members of Congress who have gone to Columbia to stand for these principles.”
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