columbia university An anti-Israel group was forced to issue a statement last year after it organized a campus campout to protest the war in Gaza. “The Death of America” on social media. Just a day earlier, the United States and Israel killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a series of attacks by Iran in the Middle East.
Post on X Platform (formerly Twitter) by Columbia University Apartheid Divest [CUAD]. The tweet read: “Marg bar Amrika,” Farsi for “Death to America” - Ayatollah Khomeini’s famous rallying cry.
The post was immediately removed by the Elon Musk-led organization. “X forced us to delete the ‘marg bar amrika’ tweet in order to regain access to our account, but the sentiment persists,” CUAD said.
Columbia University responds
After facing backlash, the Ivy League school said CUAD “has no relationship whatsoever with the university.”
“There is no evidence that anyone currently in control of their account is a current Columbia University student, staff member, or faculty member. They are unlawfully using the Columbia University name,” the New York City-based institute added.
Columbia wrote in a press release that it has “zero tolerance for discrimination and harassment based on protected characteristics.” Our University rules and policies are clearly defined on this issue. ”
“Any organization of any kind that promotes violence or encourages undermining our academic mission is not welcome on our campus, and the university will not engage with them.”
Khamenei praises CUAD
The group is one of many praised by Iran’s supreme leader. “You have now formed a branch of the Resistance Front and begun a glorious struggle in the face of relentless pressure from a government that openly supports Zionists,” the 86-year-old leader wrote in 2024, according to the Jewish News Syndicate, referring to anti-Israel protests on campus.
Khamenei further pointed out: “The conscience of people around the world has awakened, and the truth is coming to light. In addition to you students in dozens of universities in the United States, uprisings have also occurred among scholars and the public in other countries.”
