Congresswoman Speaks With Reporters While Visiting Protest
Recently, Congresswoman Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), known for her membership in the progressive House group dubbed the “Squad,” has sparked controversy over remarks concerning Jewish students on college campuses.
During a visit to Columbia University with her daughter Isra Hirsi, a Barnard student involved in an anti-Israel protest that led to her arrest, Omar commented on the presence of Jewish students within the encampment.
Speaking to a Fox 5 reporter, Omar said, “I think it is really unfortunate that people don’t care about the fact that all Jewish kids should be kept safe, and that we should not have to tolerate anti-Semitism or bigotry for all Jewish students, whether they’re pro-genocide or anti-genocide.”
Her comments drew swift criticism, particularly from Republican Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), who condemned her mention of “pro-genocide Jewish students” as inappropriate. Bacon emphasized that while protesting Israel is permissible, attributing blame to Jewish-American students for Israel constitutes anti-Semitism.
In response to the backlash, a spokesperson for Omar’s office defended her remarks, asserting that the Congresswoman’s intention was to denounce anti-Semitism and bigotry against all Jewish students. The spokesperson further claimed that attempts to misinterpret Omar’s words were a deliberate distraction from ongoing issues such as the Gaza conflict and anti-war protests.
Omar’s history of controversial statements regarding Israel has previously resulted in her removal from the Foreign Affairs Committee in 2023. If censured, she would join the ranks of Rep. Adam Schiff, Rashida Tlaib, and Jamaal Bowman, who faced censure in the same year.
Days before protestors at Columbia University forcefully occupied a building, Omar criticized the media and school officials for exacerbating tensions, accusing them of “inflaming the situation.”
Throughout history, protests were co-opted and made to look bad so police and public leaders would shut them down. That’s what we are seeing now at Columbia University. The Columbia protesters have made clear their demands and want their school not to be complacent in the ongoing…
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 22, 2024
Recently, the encampment at Columbia was removed and order was restored to campus however, look who’s been openly supporting the protests.
— College Democrats of America (@CollegeDems) April 30, 2024