Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. Senate Cotton urged Mayor Bowser to reverse her decision to not let the D.C. Metro Police assist George Washington University officials restore order on the school’s campus due to protestors setting up an encampment.

*Hundreds of students gather in front of Gelman Library before the start of a protest march to the White House.* ***(Photo: Logan Werlinger/GW Today)***

In part, Senator Cotton wrote:

“Whether it is due to incompetence or sympathy for the cause of these Hamas supporters, you are failing to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens by letting a terrorist-supporting mob take over a large area of a university. Your actions are a good reminder of why Washington, D.C. must never become a state.”

Full text of the letter may be found here and below.

April 29, 2024

The Honorable Muriel Bowser
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004

Dear Mayor Bowser,

Since last week, protestors have "occupied" George Washington University's campus and are demanding that the university divest from the one Jewish state.

Campus officials requested help from the D.C. Metro Police last week, but even as they prepared to assist the "mayor's office told police to stand down and said it would look bad publicly for police to disrupt a 'small number of peaceful protestors.'"

I'm writing to inform you: What looks bad publicly is D.C. allowing a band of antisemitic, mask- wearing fanatics who call for an "intifada revolution" to tum a university into a pro-Hamas encampment.

I have no doubt that if protestors were illegally gathered in opposition to Washington, D.C.'s disastrous record on crime, you would have quickly ordered the police to intervene.

Whether it is due to incompetence or sympathy for the cause of these Hamas supporters, you are failing to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens by letting a terrorist-supporting mob take over a large area of a university. Your actions are a good reminder of why Washington, D.C. must never become a state.

I'm calling on you to reverse your decision and allow the D.C. police to uphold the law.

Sincerely,