Columbia University temporarily suspends professor Shai Davidai, who supports Israel, following October 7 demonstration
(CNN) – Columbia University has temporarily barred pro-Israel lecturer Shai Davidai from campus due to "repeatedly badgering and intimidating" university personnel, as per a university representative's statement to CNN.
"Since Assistant Professor Davidai repeatedly pestered and intimidated University personnel in breach of University guidelines, we have momentarily restricting his campus access while he undergoes necessary training on our policies regarding employee conduct," the spokesperson explained in a statement to CNN.
The university asserted that Davidai's ban, who has been a professor at the university's business school since 2019, is related to incidents in the recent week during an October 7 commemoration event.
Additionally, the spokesperson voiced respect for Davidai's free speech rights. "His free speech rights have not been curbed and are not being curtailed now. Columbia, however, does not condone threats of intimidation, harassment or other destabilizing behavior by its employees," the spokesperson added.
Columbia University, located in New York, was a hotbed for pro-Palestinian protests on US college campuses this past spring. In August, university President Minouche Shafik resigned following criticism over authorizing arrests on campus and her testimony to the House Education Committee regarding the university's handling of antisemitism.
Davidai's temporary ban was imposed about a week after his participation in a campus memorial service on October 7, during which he uploaded videos online confronting a university official.
Davidai expressed his viewpoint to CNN, saying, "I encourage individuals to watch the videos and form their opinions about whether they consider these actions to be harassment."
Davidai voiced disagreement with the school's measures. "The only faculty member suspended is the Jewish Israeli professor who criticized the support for terrorism on campus," Davidai remarked.
Although Davidai is not teaching a class this semester, he is unable to enter his office, attend faculty meetings or research seminars and is, "essentially eliminated from university involvement," he said.
On October 7, Jewish students gathered on Columbia University campus for an organized memorial service commemorating the first-year anniversary of the massacre in Israel.
The October 7, 2023, attacks left more than 1,200 Israelis dead – the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust – and Hamas continues to hold many individuals hostage.
Israel's conflict against Hamas has resulted in 40,000 casualties in Gaza, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health. The brutal conflict in Gaza and its high civilian death toll sparked widespread fury, even among Israel's allies.
Professor captured videos while confronting campus officials
Davidai shared with CNN on Wednesday that supporters of Hamas protested the memorial service last week.
Davidai described the events of that day, stating that students demonstrated against the event carrying signs displaying messages promoting Hamas and the armed resistance.
“This is disgusting and unbelievable,” Davidai said. “It’s as if protesting the memorial for the Tulsa massacre. That’s what it feels like for Jews when October 7th was protested.”
Davidai, however, acknowledged that the protesting was, “freedom of speech, no matter how painful it is.”
At the gathering marking the one-year anniversary, Davidai began recording university employees, pressing them on why pro-Palestinian protests were permitted on campus on October 7.
He uploaded the video to his X account, which boasts over 100,000 followers, confronting Cas Holloway, the university's chief operating officer.
A university official informed CNN that the access restriction was due to Davidai's conduct on October 7, when he intimidated University employees in violation of University policy. This is not about a single incident or any individual employee, the university official said.
The university official also stated that Davidai had not been suspended from his position and that this action does not impact his status as a faculty member.
School grappling with changes
The school continues to grapple with repercussions following the protests from earlier this year.
Shafik announced her departure a week after the resignations of three Columbia University deans who were permanently dismissed from their posts earlier this summer after the university's president noted that they engaged in “dubious” text messages that “touched on antisemitic themes.”
The school also banned one student, Khymani James, a Pro-Palestinian student activist who stated in a video, “Zionists don’t deserve to live.”
Columbia University Apartheid Divest, which played a role in igniting the protest encampments at Columbia that sparked a pro-Palestine and anti-Israel movement on US campuses, apologized on James' behalf in April.
James has filed a lawsuit to challenge his ban.
Earlier this month, the group rescinded its apology, stating that James spoke out of passion in the heat of the moment. However, James lately wrote on X that he did not author the apology and stated, “I will not allow anyone to shame me for my beliefs. Whatever I said, I meant it.”
CNN’s David Goldman, Matt Egan and Elisabeth Buchwald contributed to this report.
The university spokesperson mentioned that Davidai's temporary ban is affecting his ability to attend faculty meetings and research seminars, making it challenging for him to remain involved with the university.
During the memorial service on October 7, Davidai, as a pro-Israel lecturer, confronted university officials, pressing them on why pro-Palestinian protests were permitted on campus that day.
