The debacle at George Washington University has escalated beyond simple protest to outright threats of violence, with videos surfacing of students cheering for the execution of campus leaders by guillotine. This grim spectacle occurred during what they termed a “People’s Tribunal” where they openly called for the heads of their President Ellen Granberg, Provost Christopher Bracey, and the Board of Trustees. It’s an abomination, a grotesque parody of justice that likely would make the Jacobins of the French Revolution blush.
Such vitriol and threats have been part of an ongoing encampment by pro-Hamas students, which has now turned into a lawless spectacle undermining the very essence of democratic protest. These activists, cloaked in the guise of fighting for Palestinian rights, have shifted their agenda to something much darker and more violent. They’ve hijacked the American flag, replacing it with a Palestinian one, and carried out acts of vandalism and intimidation against those who do not share their views.
President Granberg of GWU has soundly labeled the raging protests on campus as “potentially dangerous.” That’s putting it mildly, given that these so-called protestors are literally baying for her head. The events occurring on GWU’s campus are a failure of university administration and a stark illustration of how far the academic environment has been corrupted by radical ideologies that fuel hatred rather than foster debate.
The ringleaders of this chaos have crossed a line from lawful protest to inciting violence, and there should be consequences. It’s clear they are less interested in constructive dialogue and more in terrorizing anyone who dares to challenge their narrative. It’s an irony lost on no one that these students call for violence in the name of fighting perceived oppression, yet they trample on the rights and freedoms of others without a second thought.
This isn’t just a problem for George Washington University; it’s a symptom of a broader disease affecting many of our nation’s campuses, where extremist views are tolerated under the banner of free speech, yet that very freedom is denied to others. If actions like these are left unchecked, we’re not just looking at the end of civil discourse but the erosion of the very principles that underpin our society.
We must stand firm against this tide of radicalism. We must demand accountability not only from those who engage in such disruptive behaviors but also from university administrators and local authorities who fail to uphold the law and allow rampant Antisemitism. The scenes at GWU are a wake-up call, underscoring the urgent need for a return to principles of respect, law, and order, without which our educational institutions risk becoming breeding grounds for anarchy.
