Columbia's Barnard College Scrubs 'Offensive' Post Featuring Map of Israel After Fierce Backlash
By![Now-deleted Instagram post from Barnard College](https://d.universityherald.com/en/full/57274/now-deleted-instagram-post-barnard-college.png?w=736&f=8f258f1c065319504b26ee0527a0fe99)
Barnard College, a private women's college under Columbia University, removed an Instagram post on Monday highlighting a student's Arabic translation summer internship following fierce social media backlash.
The photo featured a student holding an ArabLit Quarterly magazine with what appeared to be a map of Israel on the cover. The post and its subsequent removal drew immediate backlash from both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian students on Columbia's campus.
The Columbia Jewish Alumni Association criticized the initial post, saying it published "a map showing the entire state of Israel taken over from a starting point in Gaza."
Following the removal of the post, however, pro-Palestine individuals and groups accused the school of not standing behind "student's right to free expression."
"Absolutely absurd," Columbia's Students for Justice in Palestine wrote on X.
This is who Barnard College decided to listen to rather than stand by their own student’s right to free expression about her own identity. Absolutely absurd. https://t.co/UySRQSKhTb
— Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (@ColumbiaSJP) August 12, 2024
Here is the “offensive image” Barnard College removed https://t.co/Me855buc1c pic.twitter.com/ya4rIcd9Dl
— Jenn (@jennelizabethj) August 12, 2024
"Yesterday, we removed a post highlighting a student's summer internship that included an image that was offensive to some in our community. Out of respect for those views and for the safety of the student, the post has been removed from all Barnard social media," Barnard College wrote on X.
Yesterday, we removed a post highlighting a student’s summer internship that included an image that was offensive to some in our community. Out of respect for those views and for the safety of the student, the post has been removed from all Barnard social media.
— Barnard College (@BarnardCollege) August 12, 2024
The social media post is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding the university after its contentious handling of pro-Palestinian protests last spring, which included encampments and a takeover of Hamilton Hall.
Over 40 students were charged after the incident, but most have had those charges dropped. Columbia canceled its graduation ceremony due to the demonstrations as well. As Israel's 10-month conflict with Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza continues, such demonstrations have emerged on college and university campuses across the country.
Tensions have remained high at the Ivy League institution throughout the summer. Chief Operations Officer Cas Holloway had his Brooklyn residence vandalized by pro-Palestine protesters last week, and three university deans recently resigned after "antisemitic" text exchanges were revealed. University officials are also considering giving campus police broader authority to arrest protesters, according to the Wall Street Journal. On Friday, the school placed additional restrictions on campus access this week to prevent potential disruptions ahead of move-in day.