Report finds 11 percent of arrested Columbia protesters use they/them pronouns
Nine of the students that were arrested at Columbia University for taking over the school’s library reportedly ask to be referred to with 'they/them' pronouns.
Those numbers are according to a report by The Washington Free Beacon, which noted that one of the students’ senior thesis was on the Gaza Solidarity Encampment.
Nine of the students that were arrested at Columbia University for taking over the school’s library reportedly ask to be referred to with “they/them” pronouns, which chalks up to 11 percent of the total number of activists who were arrested.
Those numbers are according to a report by The Washington Free Beacon, which noted that one of the students’ senior thesis was on the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. Another student taught Critical Race Theory to high schoolers while in college, while a third wrote a book about a transgender-identifying teenager.
Another one of the “they/them” students, Haven Capone, writes poetry in spare time. “How many days in a row have I eaten Reese’s Pieces for breakfast?” queries one of Capone’s poems. “I can’t do my girlfriend instead of my homework because I got an A on one essay.”
[RELATED: House committee requests interview with Northwestern president over campus anti-Semitism]
The protest in question occurred on May 7, when pro-Palestine activists were arrested at Columbia University after forcibly entering Butler Library, prompting a police response, according to the BBC. The protest led to injuries, vandalism, and an hours-long standoff.
“Earlier today, a group of protesters occupied one of the main reading rooms in Butler library, refusing to leave, and another group breached the front door causing substantial chaos—all of this as the bulk of our students are working hard to prepare for exams,” explained Claire Shipman, Columbia’s acting president, in a statement.
“These actions not only represented a violation of University policies, but they also posed a serious risk to our students and campus safety,” Shipman continued. “Let me be clear, what happened today, what I witnessed, was utterly unacceptable.”
Campus Reform reported in April about a different planned protest at Columbia University that activists eventually had to move off-campus due to pressure from the administration.
“We have been made aware of possible plans to establish encampments on Columbia’s campuses,” the university administration told students in an email. “We want to clearly communicate that camping and encampments on Columbia’s campuses are prohibited by university policy.”
“We value free expression and the right to protest,” the email continued. “These activities must be conducted in accordance with university rules and policies to ensure the safety of our community and that academic and other campus activities can continue unimpeded.”
Campus Reform has contacted Columbia University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
