The House speaker threatened to call in the National Guard on Columbia protesters during a speech in the middle of campus.
The crowd loudly heckled and booed Johnson as he approached a podium and launched into his speech, railing against “antisemites” who “gnash their teeth and demand to wipe the State of Israel off the map and attack our innocent Jewish students.”
Protesters gather in the center of Columbia University ahead of an afternoon visit from House Speaker Mike Johnson.“If this is not contained quickly and if these threats and intimidation are not stopped, there is an appropriate time for the National Guard. We have to bring order to these campuses,” he threatened. “We cannot allow this to happen around the country.”
Johnson and other speakers, which included Republican politicians from New York, repeatedly mentioned violence against Jewish students, though no such violence has been reported at Columbia. The encampment itself appeared to be highly organized by Wednesday, with two security guards standing watch and other organizers, some wearing masks and a keffiyeh, checking each person who entered to ensure they were indeed students. Also present was a first-aid tent and another designated for Columbia alumni.
There was still some interest, however. A 19-year-old student, who asked to be identified only as Alyssa, told The Daily Beast, “I just want to hear what he has to say, you know? Bold he came here.”
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