Columbia interim prez slammedfor apologizing to students who felt hurt by schools decision to clear out anti-Israel protests: Tone deaf

Columbia University’s interim president Katrina Armstrong was slammed by members of the school’s Jewish community after she apologized to anyone who felt “hurt” by the administration’s decision to clear out the campus’ destructive anti-Israel protests last spring.Dr.

Armstrong issued the mea culpa in an interview with the Ivy League school’s newspaper, the Columbia Spectator after she was asked about the school requesting the NYPD to break up a sprawling encampment and remove protesters from Hamilton Hall on separate days last April.“I know that this is tricky for me to say, but I do understand that I sit in this job, right.And so if you could just let everybody know who was hurt by that, that I’m just incredibly sorry,” Armstrong told the newspaper that published its story early Thursday.“And I know it wasn’t me, but I’m really sorry … I saw it, and I’m really sorry.”Armstrong assumed her current role after former Columbia president Minouche Shafik suddenly stepped down in August after she faced intense criticism for her handling the constant – and at times destructive – anti-Israel demonstrations following Hamas’ Oct.

7 terror attack and the subsequent war in Gaza.More than 100 protesters, part of a Gaza Solidarity Encampment on a campus green, were taken into custody after Shafik called on the NYPD to enter university grounds.About two weeks later, hundreds of cops were allowed on campus again to haul away more than 100 protesters from Hamilton Hall.On both occasions, the elite school said it regretted summoning police, but stressed officials were left with no choice.

The school accused protesters that took over Hamilton Hall of forcing school safety officers out of the building and threatening a janitor.Armstrong’s apology was blasted by Jewish members of the school community.“Instead of apologizing to the antisemitic protesters, [Armstrong] should be apologizing to the Jewish students for failing to protect them fr...