Rep. Omar’s Daughter Denied Access to Many College Activities

The daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has faced suspension from Barnard College and restricted access to certain campus buildings for her involvement in organizing an anti-Israel protest at Columbia University.

Isra Hirsi, a junior at Barnard, a private women’s liberal arts college affiliated with Columbia University, along with three other students, coordinated the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Columbia University. Shortly after the school called in police officers to disband the encampment, they were suspended and prohibited from entering specific buildings on campus.

In an interview with Teen Vogue, Hirsi stated that there was a misunderstanding about the encampment and that the protestors were not disrupting campus life.

She mentioned that the police arrested legal observers and protestors on charges including obstruction of governmental administration and trespassing. Hirsi expressed concern about being unable to return to her dorm room and emphasized the stricter punishment faced by Barnard students compared to Columbia students.

Despite signs posted in dorm buildings with her name and picture denoting “no entry,” Hirsi clarified that she has not been formally evicted but cannot access the dining hall. She questioned what the future holds for the suspended students, as their interim suspension is pending hearings with no scheduled date provided yet.