Billionaire Columbia alum Leon Cooperman says protests are 'organized anarchy'
Billionaire Columbia University graduate and CEO Leon Cooperman is doubling down on previous comments he made blasting the anti-Israel protests that have taken place at his alma mater and other colleges, and says the situation has now escalated into "organized anarchy."
Cooperman told "The Claman Countdown" host Liz Claman in October following the initial demonstrations that began after Israel was attacked by Hamas terrorists, "These kids at the colleges have s--- for brains," and he repeated that refrain during another appearance on the show Monday.
The investor said his wife of 59 years had been critical of him for saying what he did about the demonstrators back in the fall, before declaring, "I would repeat that — it's worse, now. You know, this is organized anarchy, organized anarchy. Anarchy is a state of disorder, a refusal to recognize authority. These kids don't get it."
The Columbia business school alum and megadonor also told Claman in October that he had donated somewhere around $50 million to the university over the years, but that he was suspending his giving at the time. On Monday, he said he would "modify that a little bit" and that he was not ending his donations to the school.
"In the past I gave money without direction to the university, and my understanding was the university took a percentage of what you gave to the business school as a tax, and I specify all my future giving will be directly to the business school and no tax," Cooperman said. "I think that they recognize the problem now, and it's their responsibility to make the campus safe for all students, to eliminate hate and bigotry against all groups — not just Israelis, not just Jews."
Cooperman said the demonstrators fall into a couple of groups, one being students, and the other being "professional demonstrators that are wearing masks and doing crazy things."
He said it appears Columbia's administrators are finally addressing the issue.
"I think in the end, it's better late than never," he told Claman. "I think the administration at Columbia recognize the problem now and they're doing what has to be done."
Protests at Columbia have garnered a great deal of media attention over clashes between demonstrators and police as well as the taking over of a campus building by protesters.
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On Monday, the university announced it was canceling its main commencement slated for later this month due to security concerns amid the unrest on campus.