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Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) have condemned the suspension of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) daughter from her college following a pro-Palestinian protest.

Hirsi, Omar’s daughter, was suspended from Barnard College, which is affiliated with Columbia University, for her involvement in the protest supporting Palestinian rights. According to Hirsi, this suspension was imposed despite her clean disciplinary record and the nonviolent nature of the protest.

Rashida Tlaib shared her concerns about the broader implications of such disciplinary actions, stating, “From UM to Vanderbilt to USC to Columbia, students across our country are being retaliated against for using their constitutional rights to protest genocide. It’s appalling.”

In her own words on social media, Hirsi expressed her disappointment and surprise at the university’s decision: “I’m an organizer with CU Apartheid Divest @ColumbiaSJP; in my 3 years at @BarnardCollege, I have never been reprimanded or received any disciplinary warnings,” she stated. Hirsi also noted, “I just received notice that I am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.”

Columbia University’s administration noted that the protest led to an unauthorized encampment on the South Lawn, which prompted multiple requests for the students to disperse. A statement from the university explained, “Columbia made multiple requests that students participating in the protest leave the lawn before a number of Barnard Senior Staff also went to the lawn to ask students participating in the encampment to leave,” and added that interim suspensions were issued as a last resort after other warnings were ignored.