A retired Army Major, who, after serving in the military for more than 25 years and is now a leading scholar on urban warfare, is lambasting the student-led anti-Veterans day protest at Columbia University, calling it “disgusting.”

“Disgusting. Columbia students protest Veterans Day, passing out flyers scratching out ‘Veterans Day’ and replacing with ‘Martyrs Day.’ Most faces covered. Brains closed. Open terrorist supporting,” John Spencer wrote on X, sharing a video of Columbia student protesters occupying the campus quad. 

Columbia’s Jewish Alumni Association responded to his post with a message of support, writing, “We agree and we are so ashamed.” 

The protest was organized by a student-led anti-Israel group, Columbia University Apartheid Divest, in an effort to “reclaim” the Veterans Day holiday from the “Israel-US war machine.” 

Fliers for the event were shared on the group’s social media page, with the organizers rebranding Veterans Day as “Martyrs Day.” One flier described Veterans Day as “an American holiday to honor the patriotism, love of country, and sacrifice of veterans.” The group, however, vowed to “reject this holiday and refuse to celebrate it,” adding, “the American war machine should not be honored for the horrors unleashed on others.”

Instead, the group pledged to “celebrate Martyrs Day in honor of those martyred by the Israel-US war machine” which they described as “a day to honor the patriotism, love of country, and sacrifice of those martyrs.” 

Columbia University leads the Ivy league in its recruitment of students with military experience, with almost 700 student veterans enrolled in the school. A cohort of student veterans opted to host their own event on another part of campus. 

“I love this country, I love @Columbia, and I love you. Thank you to those who have served, are serving, and will serve,” one student veteran at Columbia, Sam Nahins, wrote on X, attaching photos of him and others carrying American flags on the school’s campus. “Thank you to the non-veterans who showed up and supported us,” he added. 

According to images shared online by Mr. Nahins, several former Israeli Defense Force soldiers came out to support their fellow student veterans, carrying a sign that read “IDF veterans salute US veterans.”