Joseph Slaughter, a professor in Columbia University’s Department of English and Comparative Literature, has used his academic position to embolden extremist movements on campus. His actions have not only supported radicalized anti-Israel activism but also contributed to a hostile and unsafe environment for Jewish students. From signing statements defending the justification of terrorism to actively participating in encampments that harassed Jewish students, Slaughter has repeatedly aligned himself with the most extreme factions of campus activism.
Joseph Slaughter’s Hate and Radicalization
1. Defending Justifications for Terrorism
On October 30, 2023, just weeks after the Hamas-led massacre of over 1,200 civilians, Slaughter signed an open letter defending Columbia students who attempted to justify the attacks as a form of “resistance.” Rather than condemning the horrors committed, including mass murder, rape, and hostage-taking, Slaughter’s endorsement of this statement effectively legitimized the massacre and its perpetrators.
2. Leadership Role in Radical Encampments
Slaughter served as a “faculty marshal” at the Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) encampment in April 2024, despite his simultaneous leadership position on the university’s Rules Committee—which governs protest policies. His presence not only violated ethical boundaries but also revealed his bias in actively facilitating disorder on campus.
He was photographed at the encampments outside Butler Library on April 29, 2024, engaging with radical protesters. On May 1, 2024, after student protesters were arrested for illegal activities, Slaughter was seen holding a sign reading “No War on Students” while wearing a neon vest used by protest marshals—publicly aligning himself with groups known for inciting hostility against Jewish students.
3. Blocking Jewish Students From Campus Areas
In January 2025, a Jewish activist group accused Slaughter of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act for allegedly blocking Jewish students from entering campus areas controlled by encampment activists. This incident, which reportedly took place in April 2024, occurred while he was serving as both a University Senator (Rules Committee) and the Executive Director of the Institute for the Study of Human Rights—positions in which he was supposed to protect student rights, not enable discrimination.
4. Affiliation With Extremist Organizations
Slaughter is deeply entrenched in Columbia’s Center for Palestine Studies, a hub for some of the university’s most radical anti-Israel faculty. His continued involvement with groups advocating for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, a campaign that singles out Israel while excusing terrorist organizations, further cements his alignment with extremist ideologies.
An Academic Betraying the Principles of Human Rights
Joseph Slaughter has demonstrated a dangerous pattern of enabling extremism and antisemitism under the guise of academic freedom. His actions—ranging from defending the justification of terrorism to physically participating in campus movements that harass Jewish students—show a blatant disregard for the principles of human rights that he claims to champion. Rather than fostering constructive dialogue, Slaughter has chosen to use his position to embolden those who glorify violence and target vulnerable communities.
