A Cornell University professor accused of “justifying terrorism” when he described Hamas' bloody Oct. 7 operation in southern Israel as “exhilarating” is again under fire for taking part in an anti-Israel demonstration on campus this week, where protesters could be heard chanting “Long Live the Intifada” before storming a job fair.
Russell Rickford, an associate professor of history at Cornell University, In Video On Wednesday, he marched through campus with a keffiyeh slung over his shoulder and dozens of other anti-Israel supporters.
Protesters, many wearing face masks and some wearing keffiyehs, held Palestinian flags and signs that read “Cornell University Divest from Genocide” and “Stop Funding Genocide.”
Cornell professor 'excited' after Hamas attack apologizes for 'reprehensible' comments
Russell Rickford, an associate professor of history at Cornell University, was seen on video marching on campus with several dozen anti-Israel supporters, a kefir slung over his shoulder. (Courtesy of the New York Post)
Noisy, pot-banging protesters eventually disrupted a job fair at the Statler Hotel on campus, with Rickford seen on video watching outside and clapping his hands.
School officials said protesters pushed past school police officers to get in, but Rickford is not believed to have been among the group that broke into the job fair.
“University guests felt intimidated and students were deprived of an opportunity to experience a career fair,” Joel Malina, Cornell's vice president for university relations, said in a statement. “This type of behavior is unacceptable, violates university policy, and is illegal.”
A Jewish student New York Post One person said the instructor's participation in the protests was “outrageous,” while another accused him of “inciting hatred.” Video shows the group chanting “Long live the intifada,” an Arabic word for rebellion, uprising or resistance.
Rickford, an expert on African-American political culture, came under fire last year for inflammatory comments he made about the Hamas surprise terror attack that killed 1,200 people and led to the current Gaza war.
“I felt exhilarated, I felt energized, I felt excited,” Rickford said at the time. He has since retracted his comments, apologised and called the speech “reprehensible.”
Video: Cornell professor reacts to Hamas terror attacks: 'It's exhilarating'
The self-described “secular Marxist” faced a media backlash over his comments about Hamas' massacre of hundreds of civilians, including Americans, and eventually took a leave of absence, but has now returned to the university.
Amanda Silverstein, vice president of the Cornell Chapter of Chabad for Israel, an on-campus Israel advocacy group, said Rickford marched with students to the Statler Hotel but it was unclear whether he went inside the hotel.
“He was sipping kefir and laughing. Rickford knows he will not be punished,” Silverstein told the Post. “We have a professor spreading anti-Semitic rhetoric and inciting hatred.”
Diversity professor accused of verbally attacking student after terrorism remarks, but no wrongdoing
Malina said students who violate university rules during protests will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards for “immediate action, up to and including suspension,” while faculty and staff members will be reported to the human resources department.
“These individuals may also be subject to criminal prosecution,” Malina said.
Cornell University provided Fox News Digital with an earlier statement from Molina when asked for comment on Rickford's recent actions.
“Last October, Professor Russell Rickford made horrific comments at an off-campus rally in downtown Ithaca. As then-President Pollack and Board Chair Kaiser pointed out, his comments were reprehensible and showed a complete disregard for humanity. Professor Rickford has apologized for his comments and has taken a voluntary leave of absence for the remainder of the academic year.”
“In accordance with established principles of academic freedom, Cornell University has a process for considering whether public comments, such as those made by Professor Rickford at an off-campus political rally, fall within the scope of protected speech or, rather, demonstrate prohibited bias, discrimination or harassment. Because Professor Rickford's comments were made as a private citizen on his own time, the university's academic leadership has concluded that Professor Rickford's conduct in this incident does not meet that high standard.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Rickford for comment but was unable to reach him.
Russell Rickford is an anti-Israel professor at Cornell University who calls for an anti-racist “insurgency” to come to power in the US and redistribute power and resources away from the so-called “white supremacist” system. (YouTube/Screenshot)
Rickford's comments about political violence date back about a decade.
In two videos reviewed by Fox News Digital, one from 2021 and the other from 2014, Rickford said he wanted to see anti-racist “insurrectionist” groups take power in the US. In one video, he said some white people are ready to commit “race suicide” and spoke about the “politics of violence” while simultaneously attacking ideals of civility.
During a webinar hosted by Cornell University Platform in February 2021, Rickford supported a “radical framework for anti-racism,” which calls for fundamental revolutionary change in society to alter the distribution of wealth in a neo-Marxist way.
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Russell Rickford is Professor of History at Cornell University. (FOX News Digital | Getty)
“Radical anti-racists knew that justice required not dialogue but a real redistribution of resources and power. Attacking the roots of white supremacy meant challenging the business-as-usual operation of capitalism.”
Rickford also said the Black Lives Matter movement “reflects a more redistributive form of anti-racism,” adding that “what we need is not just more civil dialogue.” [but] A more insurrectionary, mass anti-racism movement that fights entire systems of oppression.”
Fox News' Hannah Grossman contributed to this report.
