Bruce Robbins, a professor at Columbia University, has emerged as a vocal enabler of radical activism, aligning himself with extremist movements and defending those who engage in intimidation, violence, and antisemitic rhetoric. His participation in unlawful campus encampments, defense of student agitators, and refusal to condemn terrorism illustrate a disturbing pattern of radical advocacy.

While universities should be places of learning and open debate, Robbins has used his position to justify hostility and shield those who seek to spread hate. His role in campus uprisings and his outspoken support for extremist causes make him a dangerous influence on students.

Defending Campus Extremists

Robbins actively participated in the pro-Hamas encampment at Columbia in April 2024, where radical student groups seized control of campus grounds, blocked Jewish students from access, and chanted violent slogans. Rather than opposing these actions, he stood with the agitators, defended their disruptions, and attacked those who condemned them.

• Blocking Access to Campus – Robbins was filmed physically preventing Jewish students and faculty from entering Columbia, joining a faculty-led effort to intimidate and isolate those who opposed the encampment.
• Supporting Criminal Activity – He participated in the Faculty Walkout rally, a demonstration demanding the reinstatement of students who had been arrested for trespassing and inciting violence during the encampment.
• Turning a Blind Eye to Hate Speech – The very encampment Robbins defended saw protesters praising Hamas attacks, chanting for an “Intifada,” and telling Jewish students to “go back to Europe.” He refused to acknowledge or denounce these actions.

Justifying Terrorism and Spreading Antisemitic Rhetoric

Robbins’ rhetoric has gone far beyond activism. He has actively minimized the October 7 Hamas massacre, reframed acts of terrorism as resistance, and spread blatant antisemitic narratives.

• Minimizing Hamas’ Atrocities – In an April 23, 2024 speech, Robbins told encampment activists:
  • “We shouldn’t allow ourselves to be distracted by the terrible things that were done on October 7.”
  • With this statement, Robbins downplayed mass murder, rape, and hostage-taking, dismissing these horrific acts as irrelevant distractions.
• Pushing Antisemitic Narratives – Robbins has frequently framed Jewish self-determination as an oppressive force while refusing to condemn terror groups that target civilians.
• Championing an Extremist Agenda – As an outspoken supporter of the radical Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, Robbins has advocated for the isolation of Jewish academics and institutions, aligning himself with a movement that has been widely denounced for promoting antisemitic discrimination.

A Dangerous Influence on Students

Rather than fostering an environment of open inquiry, Robbins has used his position to radicalize students and defend hostility on campus.

• He encouraged students to defy university policies and support unlawful demonstrations that promoted violence and intimidation.
• He aligned himself with movements that actively work to harass and exclude Jewish students.
• He shielded and legitimized extremists who sought to shut down academic discourse through coercion and aggression.

These are not the actions of an educator committed to truth and scholarship. Robbins has positioned himself as a defender of extremism, a promoter of radical activism, and a vocal apologist for those who spread hate. Instead of fostering critical thinking, he has indoctrinated students with a one-sided, dangerous ideology—one that justifies violence and silences opposition.