NEW YORK — House Speaker Mike Johnson called on Columbia President Minouche Shafik to resign Wednesday over her handling of anti-Israel protest turmoil, declaring in an extraordinary visit to the Ivy League university that school officials have allowed “lawless agitators” to take over the campus.
“I’m here today joining my colleagues and calling on President Shafik to resign if she cannot immediately bring order to this chaos,” said Mr. Johnson from the steps of a library on the Manhattan campus. “As speaker of the House, I am committing today that the Congress will not remain silent as Jewish students are expected to run for their lives and stay home from their classes hiding in fear.”
He was joined Wednesday by several House Republicans, who often had to speak over the shouts and chants of campus protesters who sought to drown them out. The lawmakers earlier met with Jewish students and with Ms. Shafik.
Asked for his message to the pro-Palestinian demonstrators, Mr. Johnson replied, “Go back to class and stop the nonsense.”
He also said he intended to call President Biden, and that there is “an appropriate time” to call in the National Guard to restore order if necessary.
“We just can’t allow this kind of hatred and antisemitism to flourish on our campuses, and it must be stopped in its tracks,” said Mr. Johnson.
His comments came with Columbia giving student protesters another 48 hours to agree to clear out the vast “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” that covers the West Lawn in front of the Butler Library.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, accused Mr. Johnson ahead of his press conference of “politicizing” the Columbia crisis, saying that drawing attention to the campus unrest “is only adding to the division.”