In a series of posts on X and Instagram, Columbia Business School Assistant Professor Shai Davidai claimed to be “banned” from Columbia’s campuses, alleging that it was a retaliatory act by Columbia Chief Operating Officer Cas Holloway.

On Tuesday evening, controversial Columbia Business School Assistant Professor Shai Davidai posted a video Reel on Instagram claiming that he was banned from campus.

In the video, Davidai alleged that he attempted to get into the School of Social Work before receiving a call from his lawyer who told him he had been banned from the campus. Davidai continued to claim that he was banned due to his participation in the on-campus October 7 protests. He implicated Public Safety Assistant Director Bobby Lau and Columbia Chief Operating Officer Cas Holloway in his claims, alleging that Lau and Holloway were present at the protest and did “nothing” as an “onslaught” of pro-Palestine protesters “marched toward [him].”

Davidai explicitly claimed his ban from campus was the result of retaliation, characterizing the choice as being due to the fact that during and after the October 8 protest, he was “not afraid to stand up to the hateful mob,” assumedly referring to protesters. He also stated that he was the victim of retaliation because he was “not afraid to stand up to [Holloway].” He purported that Holloway “allowed” students to invite Palestinian prisoner support organization Samidoun and one of its organizers, Khaled Barakat, who Davidai referred to as a “terrorist,” to campus last year and did not take action against the students. 

Samidoun is an organization that was founded to support Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. Recently, the US imposed sanctions on the group as Canada classified them as a terrorist entity, alleging that they funded the Popular Liberation Front of Palestine, which has been designated as a terrorist group by the US and Canada. Six students were suspended during the Spring 2024 semester due their involvement with an event titled “Resistance 101” that featured Samidoun organizer Khaled Barakat. The event and the following suspensions stirred controversy due to Columbia’s usage of private investigators to surveil students, leading to disciplinary action against them.

Davidai continued by claiming that Holloway, in addition to not taking action against students who claimed to “support the armed resistance,” sanctioned the Spring 2024 campus protest encampments and “allowed… students, for three weeks last year, to terrorize the entire campus, creating a so-called ‘liberated zone’ that was only liberated from Israelis and Jews who refused to renounce their identity.” Pro-Palestine student protesters were arrested twice in separate events on April 17 and April 30 after the University allowed NYPD presence and action on campus in response to the protests. “Cas Holloway thinks that if he pushes Shai away, his problems are over,” Davidai stated in the video. “Cas, this message is for you, I’m not going anywhere. And you, you can go fuck yourself until we meet in court,” seemingly threatening legal action in the conclusion of his video.

Davidai continued on X by announcing that he was banned from campus and encouraging his followers to email Cas Holloway, posting the Chief Operating Officer’s full Columbia email. 

Bwog reached out to Columbia regarding Davidai’s claims that he was banned from campus in a retaliatory act. A University spokesperson responded with the following statement that confirmed Davidai’s ban is temporary: 

“Columbia has consistently and continually respected Assistant Professor Davidai’s right to free speech and to express his views.  His freedom of speech has not been limited and is not being limited now.  Columbia, however, does not tolerate threats of intimidation, harassment, or other threatening behavior by its employees.  Because Assistant Professor Davidai repeatedly harassed and intimidated University employees in violation of University policy, we have temporarily limited his access to campus while he undertakes appropriate training on our policies governing the behavior of our employees.”

It is not immediately clear which employees Davidai is accused of harassing; however, videos on Davidai’s Instagram feature interactions with two Columbia employees, COO Cas Holloway and Assistant Director of Public Safety Bobby Lau. A video posted to Davidai’s Instagram depicts Davidai filming Lau in the midst of pro-Palestine protesters while claiming that protesters were “not letting [him] go.” In the caption of the video, Davidai accuses Lau of “standing idly by” as “pro-Hamas students restrict [his] freedom of movement on campus.” Another video depicts Davidai and a Jewish student talking to Lau. After the student tells Lau she “doesn’t feel safe” during the pro-Palestine protest, Davidai accuses Lau of telling the student to “move out of public space” before demanding Lau to go with the student and Davidai, telling Lau, “Come with us. You’re going to protect us” as Davidai moved toward the protest.

In another video on Davidai’s Instagram, Davidai approaches and films Holloway. He continues to film a conversation between Holloway and an Israeli student. Holloway repeatedly excuses himself from Davidai as Davidai blocks Holloway’s path and says, “This is how [pro-Palestine students] walked with me, I’m walking with you.” He continues by demanding that Holloway escort an Israeli student through campus. After the conversation, Davidai attempts to file a report with Holloway in-person. Davidai asks Holloway where he is going and states that he is “going with” Holloway. Davidai continues to follow Holloway while claiming he is responsible for the student protests. 

Holloway requests that Davidai ceases filming before Davidai continues questioning Holloway as a Public Safety officer arrives and announces her attempt to escort Holloway. Davidai replies that he will also escort Holloway to his location. The video ends as Holloway assumedly arrives at his destination, stating, “Thank you, Shai.”

The University’s statement does not refer to any alleged harassment by Davidai toward students. During last spring’s congressional hearing of former Columbia President Minouche Shafik, it was stated that Davidai had over 50 complaints against him. 

Davidai was previously temporarily denied access to the Morningside campus in April, as seen in a video posted to X. Holloway could be seen speaking with Shai at the Earl Hall gates on campus. 

Davidai has been at the center of pro-Israel protests and action on campus since last year after he posted a video that subsequently went viral in which he denounces pro-Palestine protesters on campus. He has since grown a social media following across several platforms and done several interviews with media outlets, including CBS News’ 60 Minutes.

Columbia via Bwog Archives