Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., sounded the alarm about what she called an "attack" with a "toxic chemical substance" at an anti-Israel protest at Columbia University during a congressional hearing Wednesday. However, according to court documents, the substance was a non-toxic flatulence spray.
Omar questioned Columbia's president, Dr. Nemat "Minouche" Shafik, about a January incident that involved anti-Israel activists while they were protesting.
The Squad member repeated an unverified claim – which was also parroted uncritically by mainstream media outlets – that the incident was a "chemical attack by former Israeli soldiers." A recent lawsuit filed by one of the pro-Israel students who was suspended for releasing the substance said it was merely fart sprays called "Liquid A--" and "Wet Farts."
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Omar said, "In January, there was an incident involving students that were protesting that were attacked with a toxic chemical substance, leaving many hospitalized. A lot of them did not receive support from the school administrators. Can you speak to what is happening with the investigation?"
Claims that students were admitted to hospitals for further observation and advanced medical treatment have yet to be verified.
Shafik rebutted Omar's characterization that it was a "toxic chemical substance" by explaining that it was believed to be an "odorous substance."
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"This is still with the police. And, as far as we know, it was … an odorous substance. And we did reach out to all of those students who said they were affected. Many of them didn't want support," the president said.
Omar went on to claim it "took you guys more than four days to reach out to students." This was yet another assertion the president rebutted.
"No, I don't believe that's correct," she said.
One of the students who released the spray filed a lawsuit against the university on April 16.
"Plaintiff attended one of the unsanctioned pro-Hamas pro-Palestine rallies on campus, and, as a harmless expression of his speech, he sprayed into the air a novelty, non-toxic ‘fart’ spray named ‘Liquid A--' and ‘Wet Farts’ which he purchased on Amazon for $26.11," the lawsuit states.
"Liquid A--" says the product "Smells like a--; only worse' and guarantees ‘room-evacuating emissions.’"
"Wet Farts" spray from Amazon says it "unleash[es] the realistic smell of seriously bad gas on your victims."
The university took swift action against the student who allegedly used the foul-smelling spray at the anti-Israel protest.
"Almost instantly, the University rushed to silence Plaintiff, place him on interim suspension from the University, and published a statement to the University community which accused Plaintiff of a hate crime and placed Plaintiff in grave jeopardy," the lawsuit said.
The student claimed it wasn't directed at anti-Israel protesters, but it was sprayed in the general vicinity.
The Students for Justice in Palestine at Columbia released a statement about the incident.
"We hope that Columbia investigating the attack means the administration will take meaningful, serious steps towards accountability. This hateful assault came after months of Columbia viciously targeting and repressing Palestinian student advocacy, contributing to a hostile environment that dangerously emboldens violent attacks like these," the statement said.
