AOC and Jamaal Bowman accused of 'condoning' anti-Israel protests after they visit Columbia University

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Reps Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman were present on the campus of Columbia University to express solidarity with those protesting the actions of Israel's military in Gaza.

According to Fox News, the visits by the two Congress legislators from New York came a day after Minnesota Democrat Rep Ilhan Omar visited the institution to show her support for the protesting students who have set up encampments on the main lawn. All three US Representatives are members of the progressive group 'The Squad.'

AOC and Jamaal Bowman support Columbia protests

Sporting a baseball cap, AOC was seen smiling and shaking hands with demonstrators inside the tent encampment, known as the 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment,' at Columbia on Friday. A video shared over the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) by CBS reporter Ali Bauman shows the Congresswoman offering her support to those who have become engaged in the protest.

A cheerful Bowman was also seen on campus on the same day, listening to the student protesters. The evening before, he reportedly attended a fundraiser for the Biden reelection campaign, where he was recognized by the President.

Before their visits, Rep Ilhan Omar made it to the campus for the same reason on Thursday. She was accompanied by her daughter Isra Hirsi, who was suspended the previous week from Barnard College for her involvement in anti-Israel demonstrations on Columbia's campus.

The legislators have spoken up in public in support of the protestors previous to their visit.

On Tuesday, April 23, AOC wrote on X, "Calling in police enforcement on nonviolent demonstrations of young students on campus is an escalatory, reckless, and dangerous act. It represents a heinous failure of leadership that puts people’s lives at risk. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms."

Omar suggested the following day that the Gaza cease-fire encampments at Columbia University are being "co-opted and made to look bad" by public officials and members of the media.

Internet slams AOC and Jamaal Bowman for 'condoning' anti-Israel protests

Netizens slammed the legislators for their stance, as the following tweets reacting to their visits demonstrate.

"So the 'Squad' is basically like a hype team for protests now? Idk feels like politics is just one big clout chase," wrote a user on X.

"Good. Now lock them up!" exclaimed another.

"Should be removed from congress asap," stated a third.

"They should be ousted of their position. This is just condoning the behavior of the protesting on college campus where people have spent their academic lives preparing for college and their parents money that they worked years to save for. This is ridiculous," expressed a fourth user.

"What a shame to hear that," noted a fifth.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.