Anti-Israel protest erupts outside Hochul press conference
A press conference for Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., at the City University of New York (CUNY) was abruptly halted after a group of anti-Israel protesters disrupted the event. The planned press event on Thursday was canceled due to a planned protest outside the governor’s event, according to a New York Police Department officer present at the scene.
Approximately 35 protesters gathered at the entrance of CUNY, chanting phrases such as “Kathy Hochul go to hell,” “free, free Palestine,” “CUNY going to hell,” and “from the river to the sea Palestine will be free.” The disruptive behavior led to several arrests being made during the protest.
The individuals had gathered to express their opposition to Governor Hochul’s recent decision to remove a job posting for a Palestinian studies professor role. In response to the protest, a spokesperson for Hochul informed the New York Post that the governor had directed CUNY to immediately remove the job posting and conduct a thorough review of the position to ensure that antisemitic theories are not promoted in the classroom.
The protest at CUNY came just a day after a separate incident where 50 anti-Israel agitators took over a building at Barnard College in New York City. During that protest, an employee was allegedly assaulted over the expulsion of two students who had disrupted a Columbia University classroom in January.
Efforts to reach out to Governor Hochul’s office for comment on the situation were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
The events at CUNY and Barnard College highlight the ongoing tensions surrounding issues related to Israel and Palestine, as well as the challenges faced by educational institutions in addressing controversial topics. As the situation continues to evolve, it underscores the importance of open dialogue and peaceful expression of differing viewpoints in a democratic society.
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(Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital)
