Elected Officials in NY Rally at Columbia University to Protect Jewish Students

We're working on it. We're not going to go. We're working on it. We're not going to go. We're working on it. I was out with David on Saturday night. From, um... He's a great guy, too. And we're gonna, you know... Just come here Sunday night just to meet up with people. Cops don't do it. I'll go around to people and be like... Alright, so I'm gonna bring everybody up one by one. He is ETA. He was out five minutes ago. He's like 70 minutes out. Can I get him? I'll do that. You let him know. We're waiting on Michael Rappaport, too. Actor Michael Rappaport's coming, too. You guys know Michael Rappaport. He's coming, too. Move away from me. Okay, let me... Alright, so... So, we can start here. Right here. Alright. Oh. No, no, no, no, no, no. Don't cry. Forget it. Just sit. The lights go from right to left. I texted Michael Rappaport. I'm doing good. Alright? Michael Rappaport. Alright. Michael Rappaport. Alright. And then, uh... I'll call for a report. They're gonna put their... Alright, guys, it's a two-minute warning. Two-minute warning. Is anyone going live? Is anyone taking this live? Are you live to TV? What are you... Okay. So, that's our two-minute warning. All the channels. Third. We're on. Alright, sit. Alright, let's get everyone together. Matt, you guys can just take a couple steps back. Alright, we're gonna get started. It's gonna be Sid Rosenberg first, followed by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, B-L-A-K-E-M-A-N, followed by Congressman Anthony D'Esposito, Congressman from the 4th District, then Mike Lawler, Congressman from New York's 17th District. After they speak, we'll take questions, starting from this side, going around. Sid, all you. I'm going to go live. Ready? You're good to go, sir. Have you guys moved forward a bit? Perfect. All you, Sid. Thank you. Yes, my name is Sid Rosenberg. I am the morning show host, 77 WABC Radio, and this idea was born on my radio show at 6 a.m. this morning. First of all, let me thank everybody for coming out here today. It's important for all the press that we see for these people across the street taking over our city. It's important that the pro-Israel, the pro-Jewish voices be heard as well, especially today, with tonight being the first night of Passover. That's why I thought today is the perfect time to come and hold this conference. We see what's happening right across the street. I see tents in there. I see camps in there. I can't believe in New York City, with such a large and proud Jewish population, that we've allowed this to happen. That people have taken over universities and are out in the streets promoting a group that murdered, tortured, and raped innocent Jewish people on a Saturday morning during Shabbat, I should say, and a Jewish holiday. Unprovoked murder and rape, and yet we've got people all over this city, right there across the street, that are promoting this as if it's a good thing. So I've got a lot of friends in politics, and these are fine people. So I want to bring them each one by one so they can tell you how they feel today on this important Passover holiday right here across the street from one of our finest institutions that at this point has been taken over, taken over by terrorists. That's what these people are. They're terrorists. If you're a pro-terrorist, you're a terrorist. Okay? I'm not okay with that. So with that said, let me bring up Nassau County Executive, Mr. Bruce Blakeman. Thank you very much, Sid. Thank you. Thank you, Sid, for your courage and your advocacy, and for putting this together today because it's important. And I also want to thank my Congressman Anthony D'Esposito, and Congressman Mike Waller for their advocacy, for their courage, for their strength in Congress. You know, we in Nassau County send thousands of students to our universities throughout the United States, and what we're seeing happen on these campuses is disgraceful. We have Jewish students who are being attacked. We have one, Sahar Tartak, from Nassau County, Yale University, stabbed in the eye, almost lost her eye. Why? Because she's Jewish. This nation was formed and founded on religious freedom, and these people that are protesting, they're professional protesters, they are anti-American, they are anti-American values, and we have to stand up to them. And by the way, President Shafik, shame on you. Shame on you for not protecting these students. Shame on you for letting these protesters and these thugs to take over your university. We are not going to let that happen. This is still the United States of America, and we will stand firm to make sure that Jewish students are safe when they go to universities, and that American values are adhered to. This is a wake-up call, not only for the Jewish people, but for all Americans. Israel is the appetizer. They're trying to destroy Israel. The main course has always been America. When they talk about death to Israel, what do they follow that with? Death to America. We know what they're up to. We know who these people are, and we're not going to stand for it. So Sid Rosenberg, thank you. Congressman Lawler, Congressman D'Esposito, thank you. Thank you for standing up. And we will be vigilant, we will be strong, and we will be proud to be Jewish Americans. Thank you. Thank you, Bruce Blakeman, for that impassioned speech. Thank you very much. He mentioned, of course, another great Long Island native, a young congressman doing a fantastic job, very pro-Israel, my friend Anthony D'Esposito. Thank you, Sid. We're here this morning, and I wish we didn't have to be here. Because what we've seen following the days of October 7th are people throughout this country, but specifically here today, attacking Jews, calling for the destruction of Israel. What we're seeing is not just an attack on Jews, or an attack on Israel, it's an attack on democracy. And we are here today to make it very clear. I stand with my colleague, Mr. Lawler. We have worked together to put so many pro-Israel pieces of legislation across the floor of the House of Representatives. We are going to continue that work. And we are going to call on educational institutions like Columbia. If you cannot control what is happening at your university, if the president of this university is failing to keep students safe, well then she shouldn't be eligible for any federal aid coming into this university. And we will continue to fight that good fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is truly an attack on democracy. It's an attack on our values. When we hear, death to Israel, death to America, it's a threat to all of us. This is not a political thing, it's not a Republican thing, it's not a Democrat thing, it's the right thing. To stand behind Israel, stand behind its people, and do the right thing. So Sid, thank you for putting this together, and as someone who never forgets where he comes from, I do want to give a sincere thanks to the men and women of the New York City Police Department who keep this city safe each and every day. Thank you, Sid. Thank you, Anthony. I mean, imagine, we're all out here today on this beautiful, sunny afternoon in New York City, the day of Passover. Jewish people asking New York and the federal government to protect us. Imagine that. You ever think in this city we come to that day? Well, guess what? We don't need your help. We've got the NYPD, and we've got some very proud Jewish people. We'll do it ourselves. With that said, let me introduce another great congressman out of Rockland County, Mike Lawler. Thank you, Sid, and thank you to County Executive Blakeman, and my good friend and colleague, Congressman Anthony D'Esposito. Mom, Dad, I just killed 10 Jews with my bare hands. Those words were the words I heard when I visited Israel a month after October 7th and watched a 21-minute video, raw footage, unedited, of the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7th and listened to a young Palestinian man call home to his parents to say how he butchered 10 Jews with his bare hands. That level of hatred is taught. It's taught in the schools in Gaza. And unfortunately, we see it being taught on schools in America. It is unacceptable, and it must stop, and it must stop today. Every single one of these college and university presidents who refuse to take action should immediately resign in disgrace, and if they don't resign, their asses should be thrown out. I have never seen a more disgraceful act than what we are seeing on college campuses right now. I'm Irish-Italian Catholic. I love this country. We are a nation of immigrants. We are a nation of many religions, many races, many ethnicities. Our country is the most free country in the world. And yet what we are seeing on these campuses is an absolute abomination. These children that are engaged in this anti-Semitic hate should be expelled immediately. Every last one of them. I've introduced two pieces of legislation to combat anti-Semitism. The Stop Anti-Semitism on College Campuses Act, which would defund every institution of higher learning of federal dollars if they promote or sanction anti-Semitic events like we are seeing right now at Columbia University. Every last federal dollar should be taken away, including student aid. These children are not entitled to it. It is a disgrace what is happening. The second thing is this. The Anti-Semitism Awareness Act must become law immediately. We must adopt the IHRA working definition of anti-Semitism and all of its contemporary examples. And these institutions of higher learning should be held accountable. The Department of Education needs to adopt the IHRA working definition and it needs to enforce it immediately. Congress has a responsibility to act. Anthony and I have worked together introducing numerous pieces of legislation not only to support the State of Israel, not only to combat terrorism by Iran and its proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, but to combat anti-Semitism here in America. We will not tolerate it anymore. Every one of these universities and colleges should be held accountable. We've now had four university presidents testify before Congress, every last one of them in an embarrassment to education. They should be removed immediately. Period. Sid, thank you for your courage. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for standing up for what is right. Anti-Semitism must be rooted out wherever it rears its ugly head. And the governor, the mayor, this institution, and every institution in New York State has a responsibility to act and act immediately. End of story. Once again, I want to thank everybody for coming out here today. This is an important event. Certainly want to thank Bruce Blakeman, Anthony D'Esposito, and Mike Lawler. If you folks have any questions, we'll start on the right. We do have actor Michael Rapoport showing up momentarily. He's also a very big Jewish voice in the community. He got stuck in traffic. He'll be here momentarily, but we'll take questions starting on the right. Blakeman, D'Esposito, and Lawler, thank you. Anyone? Yeah, in the middle. Everybody has the right to protest. They have the right to voice their opinion. The moment you turn that into physical assaults or threats against others is the moment you lose that right. And you don't have the right to federal dollars to fund this anti-Semitism and bigotry that we are seeing not only on Columbia University, but across this country. We want to make sure that education is rooted in truth, in facts, in history, and that people are taught to respect one another. We all have the right to our opinions. We all have the right to voice our opinions. We don't have the right to threaten or physically assault anyone else, and they should be held accountable, starting with arrest and expulsion for anybody that engages in it. Yeah, so first of all, I would echo what Congressman Lawler said. Free speech is a right that's guaranteed here in the United States, but it's not a right to intimidate. It's not a right to harass. It's not a right to attack. It's not a right to block bridges. It's not a right to block access for students to get in their classrooms. There are places where you can go and exercise free speech. With respect to your question, look, there are people that have differences of opinions, and they're entitled to have differences of opinions, but the one fact that remains is Hamas is a terrorist organization. They engaged in rape. They engaged in murder. They chopped babies' heads off. They put babies in ovens. Who's supporting these people? Anybody who supports people like that, I would say they are terrorists themselves, and that is not to be condoned no matter what they identify themselves as. As a Jewish American, let me say that I am disgusted by any Jew who would march with people who support Hamas, who say death to Israel, who say death to America. Both my parents were World War II veterans. My son was in the Marine Corps. We're very proud to be Americans, and we're proud to be Jewish Americans. And to have any Jew march with people who are anti-Israel or anti-American, a country that did so much for Jewish people and Jewish immigrants, I think is disgraceful, and I consider them traitors. Let me just say, Hamas is a terrorist organization that brutally butchered, slaughtered, maimed innocent women, children, and babies. Anyone that would support Hamas needs to have their head examined. Here's the bottom line. If you want a ceasefire, the fastest way for a ceasefire to occur is for Hamas to surrender and the hostages to be released. The hostages. Why are these people not calling for the release of hostages, including Americans? I have met with the families of these hostages, these innocent families that have had to suffer and endure for over six months. I want the Palestinian people to be free. You know who they should be free from? Their oppressors. Hamas. That is who is responsible for their plight today. That's it. Thank you, guys. Mike Rappaport is coming. Yes, she should absolutely resign. The people of this institution should no longer want someone who is promoting anti-Semitic acts in that office. There is a delegation letter coming demanding the resignation. She should resign immediately. The federal government should do that. It's a New York member's letter. But, obviously, I'm sure he's free to join in the call, for sure. I think they're doing something different. He's in the main building. I'm sorry? I don't have the numbers. We're going to be done here. If you just wait a minute, Michael Rappaport will be here. We're done here. Thank you. Thank you. Good job. How are you? Thank you so much. I tried to keep him here. Can I get a quick question? How's it going? Good. How are you? Good to see you. I just wanted to hear from you in your own words what brought you here. I think what we're seeing is an absolute outrage. The fact that we have students in protest.