U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar praised her daughter Isra Hirsi for being arrested while participating in an anti-Israel protest at Columbia University.
Hirsi was among over 100 arrested for trespassing after setting up an encampment on campus to protest Israel’s actions against Hamas and call for divestment from companies complicit in alleged genocide.
“I am enormously proud of my daughter @israhirsi,” Omar wrote on X.
Omar emphasized her daughter’s history of activism and said constitutional rights to speech and assembly applied.
“She has always led with courage and compassion, from organizing a statewide school walk out on the 20th anniversary of Columbine at the age of 15, to leading the biggest youth climate rally at our nation’s Capitol at 16, and now pushing her school to stand against genocide.”
“Stepping up to change what you can’t tolerate is why we as a country have the right to speech, assembly, and petition enshrined in our constitution,” Omar said.
Hirsi had also said she was suspended from Barnard for “standing in solidarity with Palestinians.”
“Those of us in Gaza Solidarity Encampment will not be intimidated,” Hirsi wrote. “We will stand resolute until our demands are met. our [sic] demands include divestment from companies complicit in genocide, transparency of @Columbia’s investments and FULL amnesty for all students facing repression.”
The protest led Columbia to involve police to clear the encampment for violating school policies, a decision Omar questioned their president about related to antisemitism on campuses.
