Brandeis Student Resigns from Leadership Position Following Comments on Slain NYPD Officers

Photo: Khadijah Lynch. Credit: Facebook.

A Brandeis University student has resigned from her leadership position in the university’s African and Afro-American Studies Department following her controversial comments on the two New York Police Department officers who were murdered Saturday in Brooklyn, according to the department chairman.

After the shooting, junior Khadijah Lynch, who was an undergraduate departmental representative, tweeted the following from her account, @punQros3, which has since been deactivated:

• “i have no sympathy for the nypd officers who were murdered today.”
• “[Laughing my [expletive] off], all I just really don’t have sympathy for the cops who were shot. i hate this racist [expletive] country.”

Lynch’s comments gained attention after another Brandies student, senior Daniel Mael, immediately highlighted them in a blog post on the site Truth Revolt.

On Sunday, a Facebook group, “Expel Khadijah Lynch from Brandeis,” was created by Jane Fields, whose connection to Brandies, if any, is unknown at this time. The group had over 200 members as of Monday afternoon.

The university’s African and Afro-American Studies Department chairman, Chad Williams, released the statement on Lynch’s resignation.

The statement reads in part:

“The comments of Ms. Lynch, made through her own personal Twitter account, do not reflect the views of AAAS as a department. AAAS, unequivocally, does not promote nor condones a disregard for the loss of human life. The deaths of officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu are a tragedy and should be treated with proper respect. We express our most sincere condolences to their family and loved ones.”

According to authorities, 28-year-old Ismaaiyl Brinsley shot and killed the two officers before turning the gun on himself. Brinsley referenced the police-involved killings of Eric Garner and Michael Brown on his social media pages prior to the shooting.

Since her tweets, Lynch has received threats, as well as support via the hashtag #IStandWithKhadijah, according to Brandeis’ student newspaper, The Justice.

Williams wrote about the threats against Lynch in his statement.

“The comments expressed by Ms. Lynch in no way excuse those made in response to her tweets, many of which have been horrifically racist, sexist, Islamophobic and threatening physical violence. These appalling comments should be resoundingly condemned with even greater passion.”