PEN America Cancels Award After Writers' Boycott Over Gaza
TimeAPR 16 2024
Columbia University on Monday deactivated the identification card of Shai Davidai, an assistant professor at its Business School, in response to his plans to hold a protest on the main Morningside campus.
The Israeli-born Jewish professor had planned to hold a "peaceful sit-in" in opposition to pro-Palestine demonstrators who have occupied the main lawn to demand Columbia support a cease-fire in Gaza and divest funds in Israel.
Columbia Chief Operating Officer Cas Holloway said Davidai was prevented from accessing the West Lawn to "maintain the safety of the Columbia community" and could organize his event at a counterprotest area.
Davidai is being punished for calling out Columbia's policies, which tend to favor support for the Palestinians and do little to address rampant campus antisemitism. Limiting his ability to counter-protest — while allowing the pro-Palestinian protesters to construct a tent city — is a clear violation of Davidai's rights.
Davidai isn't banned from campus — he's being restricted from certain areas for his own safety. By harassing students for their political views, he violated university policies, abused his power, and posed a threat to the university community, attempting to ignite post-Oct. 7 campus tensions. He was rightly restricted from the type of protest he was planning.