The daughter of ‘Squad’ member Ilhan Omar has faced criticism over allegations that she was sprayed with chemical weapons during a pro-Palestine protest at Columbia University.
Irsa Hirsi, 21, appeared in MSNBC along with another student Monday night to criticize the school for its handling of the aftermath of the protests.
“There’s definitely some hypocrisy here,” Hirsi said. “You can see it in the students who sprayed us with chemical weapons and the fact that there is no public information about what happened to them.”
He claimed the school was turning the protests into “a public spectacle… when we have done nothing to physically harm the students.”
While it is unclear what “chemical” Hirsi was referring to, a Jewish student was suspended after spraying a foul-smelling liquid on protesters during a demonstration in January.
Ilhan Omar’s daughter Irsa Hirsi, 21, has come under fire for claiming she was sprayed with chemical weapons during a pro-Palestine protest at Columbia University.
Hirsi was arrested for refusing to leave an on-campus camp and subsequently suspended from Barnard College.
Hirsi accused the school of treating pro-Palestinian protesters differently than students on the opposing side.
The student, identified only as ‘John Doe,’ filed a lawsuit against the university last week, alleging that he sprayed ‘joke gifts’ called ‘Liquid Ass’ and ‘Wet Farts’ into the air during the demonstration and ‘not directly at no individual’. .’
Actor and comedian Michael Rapaport responded to Hirsi’s claims on
Smollett was convicted of five counts of disorderly conduct in 2021 for staging a racist and homophobic attack on himself in 2019 and then lying to Chicago police about it.
Rapaport has remained fiercely pro-Israel, appearing outside Columbia on Monday to call protesters on the opposing side “thugs” and “cowards.”
Hirsi, a Barnard College student, was suspended after being arrested along with approximately 100 other students for refusing to leave a camp on the Columbia campus.
“The reason they suspended us so early was because we had made ourselves known,” he said during Monday’s interview. ‘This was what was expected. We all knew the risks.’
He criticized the school for treating pro-Palestinian protesters with hostility compared to counter-protesters.
It’s unclear what “chemical” Hirsi, left, was sprayed with, but a Jewish student filed a lawsuit against the school when he was suspended for spraying “fart spray” at a demonstration.
The lawsuit claims the anonymous student sprayed ‘prank gifts’ called ‘Liquid Ass’ and ‘Wet Farts’ (pictured) into the air and ‘not directly at any individual.’
Actor Michael Rapaport indirectly accused Hirsi of lying by comparing him to Jussie Smollett, who was convicted of carrying out a racist and homophobic attack against himself.
“We’re headed down Jussie Smollet (sic) street with this,” Rapaport wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“This is 100 percent objective,” Hirsi said of the school’s application of disciplinary warnings.
“This is 100 percent objective,” Hirsi said.
“At every protest that we have, there is a group of counter-protesters who bring all their items, their flags and things like that and they are not considered to have carried out unauthorized protests, or to have really received the type of disciplinary warnings that many of them our colleagues organizers receive.’
Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, supported her daughter and wrote that she was “extremely proud” in a social media post.
“She has always led with courage and compassion, from organizing a statewide school walkout on the 20th anniversary of Columbine at the age of 15, to leading the largest youth climate rally at our nation’s Capitol at 16. years, and now pressure his school to stand firm against the genocide,” Omar wrote.
Columbia has declined to comment on the pending lawsuit, calling John Doe’s actions “a harmless expression to demonstrate discontent with the pro-Hamas and pro-Palestine message through the use of a gag gift, and nothing more.” “.
The student received a provisional suspension on January 21. However, that suspension was effective until May 2025 after the university found him responsible for disruptive conduct, harassment and endangerment.
Omar has supported her daughter following her arrest and suspension, praising Hirsi in a social media post.
The Jewish student suing Columbia claims his actions were “a harmless expression to demonstrate discontent with the pro-Hamas and pro-Palestine message.”
Hirsi was among more than 100 students arrested for refusing to leave the ‘Gaza solidarity camp’ on the Columbia grounds.
The lawsuit claims the school’s decision tarnished the student’s reputation, adding that his classmates misled him on social media and painted him as “dangerous” in a statement condemning the incident from former interim chancellor Dennis Mitchell.
According to the lawsuit, students who filed reports with the public safety office refused medical evaluation and counseling.
“To date, there has been no medical or physical evidence to support the claims of any of the students who claimed to have been harmed and/or impacted by the spray,” it reads.
“In fact, the spray is harmless, non-toxic and anyone can buy it on Amazon.”
After the attack, a handful of students reported burning eyes, headaches and nausea. At least three students claim to have sought medical attention.