Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Representative Ilhan Omar, was arrested during an anti-Israel protest at Columbia University, which has raised concerns about possible political motivations behind the arrest. According to Rep. Jamaal Bowman, another member of the “Squad,” the timing of Hirsi’s arrest seems retaliatory, following Omar’s critical questioning of Columbia’s leadership regarding academic freedom the day before at a congressional hearing.
During the protest, Hirsi was one of more than 100 individuals detained by the New York Police Department and charged with trespassing. She was released several hours later, seen leaving NYPD headquarters smiling and waving. Earlier that day, Hirsi revealed on social media that she had been suspended from Barnard College, which is affiliated with Columbia, for her activism in support of Palestinian rights.
The protest at Columbia University began with a campus encampment advocating for the rights of Palestinians and escalated with calls for divestment from companies allegedly complicit in what activists describe as genocide. Hirsi’s arrest and the high-profile nature of the demonstration have drawn significant media attention and public discourse, further fueled by Bowman’s assertion that the response from Columbia and law enforcement may have been influenced by political factors.
The arrest has sparked a broader conversation about the intersection of activism, student rights, and political influence in academic settings, highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on college campuses.