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Image source, Getty Images
Khymani James, shown successful this photograph from 2021, apologised for the comments
By Mike Wendling & Max Matza
BBC News
A person of students protesting the warfare successful Gaza astatine Columbia University has apologised aft video emerged of him saying "Zionists don't merit to live".
Khymani James, 20, said helium was "unusually upset" and "misspoke successful the vigor of the moment".
The White House condemned his remarks connected Friday.
Protests which began astatine Columbia successful New York City person since dispersed to campuses crossed the US.
Mr James posted the comments to Instagram successful January. He besides said: "Be grateful that I'm not conscionable going retired and murdering Zionists."
The comments were made some earlier and aft Columbia administrators called him successful for a disciplinary hearing.
"I don't combat to injure oregon for determination to beryllium a victor oregon a loser, I combat to kill," helium said successful a post.
In caller days, those comments were circulated by pro-Israel activists.
On Friday Mr James apologised, penning successful a connection connected X: "I affirm the sanctity of each beingness and the question for liberation."
"All radical merit to beryllium harmless from carnal harm."
A Columbia spokesperson declined to accidental whether Mr James had been disciplined implicit remarks from aboriginal this year.
"Calls of unit and statements targeted astatine individuals based connected their religious, ethnic, oregon nationalist individuality are unacceptable and interruption assemblage policy," the assemblage said successful a statement.
A spokesperson for the White House issued a connection condemning his remarks astir "Zionists".
"These dangerous, appalling statements crook the tummy and should service arsenic a wakeup call," White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said successful a statement.
"It is hideous to advocator for the execution of Jews."
Some of the field protests connected US campuses person been accused of antisemitism, and President Biden earlier this week condemned the "antisemitic protests".
A fig of Jewish students person said they person felt unsafe astatine Columbia and astatine different universities, though different Jewish students person joined the demonstrations.
On Friday, the Columbia University Senate, made up of module and students, voted to admonish the assemblage medication for its handling of the protests.
Calling metropolis constabulary successful to wide the encampment ran "contrary to the norms and traditions" of the university, the legislature said.
Columbia President Nemat "Minouche" Shafik is facing unit to measurement down implicit the effect to the protests.
The latest question of field protests began aft Columbia officials called successful constabulary to wide a protestation encampment connected 18 April and much than 100 radical were arrested.
Watch: See however Gaza field protests dispersed crossed the US
Activists person been calling for universities to "divest from genocide" and to halt investing ample schoolhouse endowments successful companies progressive successful weapons manufacturing and different industries supporting Israel's warfare successful Gaza.
Among the caller developments:
- Officials astatine Ohio State University admitted that equipped constabulary with scopes were contiguous overlooking protests successful Columbus aft photos dispersed of snipers connected rooftops. A full of 36 protesters - a premix of students and non-students - were arrested Thursday night
- Criminal charges were dropped against protesters arrested astatine the University of Texas astatine Austin earlier successful the week. Travis County Attorney Delia Garza said the cases "lack capable probable origin to proceed"
- Several module members were arrested during chaotic scenes astatine Emory University in Atlanta connected Thursday
- Protest camps are ongoing astatine University of California, Berkeley, the University of Michigan, Northwestern University adjacent Chicago and others crossed the country
The warfare began erstwhile Hamas-led gunmen carried retired an unprecedented onslaught connected confederate Israel connected 7 October, sidesplitting astir 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 253 others backmost to Gaza arsenic hostages.
More than 34,180 radical - astir of them children and women - person been killed successful Gaza since then, the territory's Hamas-run wellness ministry says.
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