April 19 (Punjab Khabarnama) : An Arab Israeli man has taken to social media to share that he was attacked by an anti-Israel protester during a protest at Columbia University. The video shows the accuser, Yoseph Haddad, being physically assaulted and pushed to the ground by a masked protester.
“I was physically attacked by pro-terror protesters before my lecture at Columbia University. Instead of a lecture, I had to file a complaint with the police. They may have drawn blood but these cowards will never stop me,” Haddad wrote on Instagram, sharing the video.
The video was also shared by an acquaintance of Haddad, who wrote in the caption, “Today at Columbia University, violent terror supporters assaulted my partner, @YosephHaddad — who incidentally is not Jewish but an Arab Israeli. This is the face of the suspect.” The user thanked the NYPD for “acting swiftly and being on top of this case.”
In a separate post, Haddad said his attacker has been identified as Essa Ejelat, a 31-year-old man from New York. “During the demonstration he was bare-faced and just before he attacked me he made sure to cover his face immediately after he ran away… a coward and a disgrace! He thought we wouldn’t reach him…,” Haddad wrote.
He added, “He is trying to disguise himself now and blocked his socials (which are full of inflammatory anti-Israel content) but I filed a police report and he will be arrested in the near future!”
Over 100 arrested at Columbia University
Meanwhile, at least 108 anti-Israel protestors at the university were hauled away and forced into NYPD corrections buses. Officers were seen wearing body armour and face shields, swarming the Morningside Heights campus shortly after 1 pm on Thursday, April 18.
The NYPD intervened after the college president, Minouche Shafik, decided to clear a massive anti-Israel protest encampment. Those who were arrested have been slapped with trespassing summonses, and two were also handed obstruction of governmental administration summonses.
