Patriots owner Robert Kraft says he is “not comfortable supporting” his alma mater Columbia University amid the explosion of anti-Israel “virulent hate” protests on campus.
A pro-Palestinian encampment has sprung up at Columbia over the Israel-Hamas war, leading to police arresting more than 100 protesters. Columbia has since canceled in-person classes, and a rabbi at the university advised Jewish students to go home until it’s more safe for them on campus.
Kraft addressed the campus chaos on Monday. The Pats owner went to Columbia on a full academic scholarship.
“… The school I love so much — the one that welcomed me and provided me with so much opportunity — is no longer an institution I recognize,” Kraft said in a statement through his Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.
“I am deeply saddened at the virulent hate that continues to grow on campus and throughout our country,” he added. “I am no longer confident that Columbia can protect its students and staff and I am not comfortable supporting the university until corrective action is taken.”
Kraft called on Columbia’s leadership to end the protests immediately.
“It is my hope that in this difficult time, the Kraft Center at Columbia will serve as a source of security and safety for all Jewish students and faculty on campus who want to gather peacefully to practice their religion, to be together, and to be welcomed,” Kraft said.
Hours before the start of Passover, Columbia President Minouche Shafik said in a message to the school community that she was “deeply saddened” by what was happening on campus.
“To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday,” Shafik wrote. She said faculty and staff should work remotely, when possible, and that students who don’t live on campus should stay away.
A statement from @FCASorg Founder Robert Kraft. pic.twitter.com/6fmTGFx06e
— Stand Up to Jewish Hate #🟦 (@StandUp2JewHate) April 22, 2024
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.