A fresh wave of controversy has hit Columbia University, following a fiery post from a student group after the reported deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other officials in US and Israeli strikes. Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a group notable for last year’s campus encampment protesting the war in Gaza, posted “Marg bar Amrika” – a Persian phrase meaning “death to America” – on X (formerly Twitter).
The platform quickly removed the post, but CUAD was unyielding, declaring that while the tweet was gone, “the sentiment still stands.”
Columbia University responded swiftly, distancing itself from the group. In a statement, the university emphasized CUAD is “not affiliated in any way with the University.” They also pointed out a lack of evidence that current account managers are Columbia students, faculty, or staff, asserting CUAD is “illegally using the Columbia name.”
Adding a layer to the incident, Khamenei himself had previously praised US student protest groups, including CUAD, calling their efforts an “honorable struggle” and a “branch of the Resistance Front.”
The international backdrop to this campus drama involves the US and Israel striking Iran, leading to the deaths of Khamenei, former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and numerous top military officials. These strikes reportedly occurred after US-Iran talks regarding Iran’s nuclear program broke down. The controversial post from CUAD further highlights the complex intersections between global politics and campus activism.
