“Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated while announcing that the United States is reviewing the visa status of individuals involved in the recent occupation of Columbia University’s Butler Library.
On Wednesday, nearly 80 protesters were arrested after storming Columbia University’s Butler Library in New York City. The demonstrators, many of whom were masked and wearing kaffiyehs, disrupted students preparing for exams, defaced property, and declared the library a “liberated zone” in support of Palestinian activism.
In response to the incident, Secretary Rubio posted on X: “We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia University’s library. Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation.”
Secretary Rubio’s proposal aligns with the Trump administration’s broader effort to confront violent and radical forces operating under the banner of political activism.
Following President Trump’s January executive order titled “Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism,” the administration has been reviewing the visa statuses of students who participated in such demonstrations.
Columbia University President Claire Shipman condemned the “outrageous” actions and violence of the demonstrators, noting the injuries of two public safety officers and the presence of individuals unaffiliated with the university. The NYPD was called to restore order and ensure campus safety.
Meanwhile, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) called for the school to take swift action.
“While Columbia students try to study for finals, they’re being bombarded with chants for a ‘global intifada,’” she wrote. “President @realDonaldTrump is right: not a single taxpayer dollar should go to a university that allows chaos, antisemitism, and civil rights violations on its campus.”
“Columbia must act — enough is enough,” she added.
The matter comes amid growing concerns over the radicalization of student-led campus protests, many of which have turned violent, disrupted academic life, and echoed rhetoric associated with foreign terrorist movements. These developments reflect a deeper ideological convergence between far-left anti-capitalist activism and militant anti-Israel networks.
Last month, prominent student activists and organizers tied to anti-Israel campus encampments praised violence, endorsed terrorism, described “liberating Palestine” as a way “to dismantle the United States,” and called for the destruction of America and capitalism during a webinar honoring convicted cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal that was later shared by a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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