Jewish students at NYU and Columbia say Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s decision to rescind the executive order adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism has left them worried about campus safety and emboldened protests. The IHRA definition — which describes antisemitism as "hatred toward Jews" — was adopted under former Mayor Eric Adams and rescinded by Mamdani on his first day in office. Students point to a history of intense demonstrations at both campuses, some of which resulted in arrests and disciplinary action.
Mamdani Rescinds IHRA-Based Antisemitism Order; Jewish Students at NYU and Columbia Voice Safety Concerns
After Mayor Zohran Mamdani scrapped an executive order adopting the IHRA antisemitism standard, Jewish students warn the move could embolden campus activists and worsen antisemitic rhetoric at NYC universities.
Jewish students at New York City universities have expressed alarm after Mayor Zohran Mamdani revoked an executive order that had aligned the city’s official definition of antisemitism with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) standard. Students told Fox News Digital they fear the move could embolden protests and worsen campus climates, particularly at New York University and Columbia University.
Background
The executive order adopting the IHRA definition — which states that "antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews" and notes that antisemitic rhetoric and acts can target people, property and institutions — was issued under former Mayor Eric Adams. Mayor Mamdani rescinded the adoption on Jan. 1, his first day in office.
Protest stickers were put on the doors at Butler Library at Columbia University's campus on May 7, 2025 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian protesters held a demonstration inside the Butler Library on Columbia University’s campus, disrupting finals week.
What Students Are Saying
Some students say the removal of the IHRA-aligned order removes a layer of formal protection and could signal that harsher rhetoric and more intense demonstrations are less constrained. "There's a reason why IHRA's definition of antisemitism has become the gold standard, and removing it on the first day...really gives permission for protests to start up again," NYU student Mera Skoblo told Fox News Digital. "Removing these safeguards for Jewish students to keep us safe really feels like a direct move. It feels like an attack."
Columbia student Galia Labowitz said she fears the change will "embolden" pro-Palestinian rhetoric on campus and heighten tensions. She described instances in which professors canceled classes because of protests or encouraged student participation, which she said has made her reluctant to speak openly about her Jewish and Zionist identities.
Police intervene and arrest more than 100 students at New York University in support of students at Columbia University and to oppose Israel's attacks on Gaza.
Campus Protests and Consequences
NYU and Columbia have both been sites of high-profile demonstrations since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. NYU saw a Dec. 12, 2024 protest outside its library during which some participants chanted for an "intifada revolution" and denounced Tel Aviv as "stolen land." Columbia's campus experienced an April 2024 encampment on East Butler Lawn where protesters chanted "from the river to the sea," and in May 2025 demonstrators occupied Butler Library, referring to it as the "Basel Al-Araj Popular University." Those events led to hundreds of arrests and disciplinary actions by the university.
Responses And Next Steps
Fox News Digital reached out to Mayor Mamdani, New York University and Columbia University for comment but did not receive responses in time for publication. The rescission has reignited debate over how antisemitism should be defined and addressed on campuses and in city policy, with advocates and critics offering sharply different views on the likely effects of the move.
Note: The IHRA definition is widely used by governments and institutions, but its adoption and interpretation remain contested in some academic and civil-liberties circles.
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