Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith are set to testify before the House Oversight Committee about the pro-Palestinian protests and encampment at George Washington University. House Republicans are cracking down on antisemitism on college campuses due to the conflict in the Middle East.
The hearing, titled “Oversight of D.C.’s Response to Unlawful Activity and Antisemitism,” will take place on Wednesday at 1 p.m. Both the House Oversight and Education and the Workforce committees are seeking answers from district leadership after reports that police refused to remove the pro-Palestinian encampments.
In a letter, Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx expressed concern over the MPD’s reluctance to assist in clearing out the encampment, despite efforts by George Washington University to protect its Jewish student body.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer has also raised concerns about the situation at the university and called on District officials to intervene and protect all students on campus. Requests for MPD assistance made by the university were reportedly ignored, prompting calls for Mayor Bowser to take action and eliminate hatred on campus.
The community is urged to stand against hate and protect all students and residents of Washington, D.C. from discrimination.
