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The president of New York University’s student bar association, Ryna Workman, who uses the pronouns they/them online, is facing massive blowback over their divisive pro-Hamas statement in an online newsletter.
The message penned by Ryna Workman in Monday’s NYU law newsletter has triggered a lot of anger and outrage among readers after the New York University law student wrote, "Israel bears full responsibility" for Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel.
Workman began the Newsletter by declaring their “unwavering” support for the Palestinian resistance effort. They went on to accuse Israel of committing historic violent atrocities, including genocide, that allegedly motivated militants to kill innocent civilians in the Jewish country. Ryna Workman who identify themselves as non-binary wrote:
“I want to express, first and foremost, my unwavering and absolute solidarity with Palestinians in their resistance against oppression towards liberation and self-determination. Israel bears full responsibility for this tremendous loss of life. This regime of state-sanctioned violence created the conditions that made resistance necessary.”
NYU Student Bar Association president Ryna Workman alleged Pro-Hamas newsletter triggers backlash
The inflammatory message from New York University’s student bar association president Ryna Workman, prompted the Law firm Winston & Strawn to rescind job offers to the student. In a statement on Tuesday, October 10, the Law firm Winston & Strawn condemned the student’s message that seemingly justified the crimes committed by Hamas against Israelis.
While the Law Firm did not identify the student, Reuters reported that the newsletter referenced in Winston & Strawn’s statement was written by Ryna Workman.
“Winston stands in solidarity with Israel’s right to exist in peace and condemns Hamas and the violence and destruction it has ignited in the strongest terms possible,” it said.
The New York University also slammed Workman's message, emphatically stating that the student’s newsletter did not reflect their views.
“Acts of terrorism are immoral. The indiscriminate killing of civilians and hostage-taking, including children and the elderly, is reprehensible. Blaming victims of terrorism for their own deaths is wrong,” spokesman John Beckman said.
An NYU sophomore, who wished to remain anonymous, told the New York Post that Workman weaponized their platform as president of New York University’s student bar association to spin their rhetoric in a public newsletter. The student added that Workman’s message did not reflect the views held by the NYU student body.
“Her views certainly don’t represent those of the NYU student body — not mine, anyway. There’s no interpretation of the events that occurred Saturday morning outside of that terrorists carried out a planned attack on civilians and started a war. There’s no justification for it. It’s shameful, and embarrassing that I have to be associated with it.”
What we know about the Israel-Hamas war
On October 6, 2023, the Palestinian militant group Hamas stormed the Israeli music festival held in the desert in southern Israel to coincide with the Jewish festival of Sukkot and opened fire as a surprise attack on the country.
Shortly after, several alarming videos of Palestinian militants attacking partygoers, kidnapping attendees and killing civilians in a residential area emerged online. According to rescue agency Zaka, more than 260 bodies have reportedly been recovered from the festival arena and over a thousand Israelis have been killed in Israel.
In retaliation, Israel launched a counter-attack on Gaza, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people, including innocent civilians on both sides. The Israel-Hamas war has divided people, including US university students.
A few students from various universities, including from Harvard, have reportedly thrown their support behind the Palestinian militant group after a faction "Students for Justice in Palestine" called on all its chapters to celebrate a “historic win for Palestinian Resistance,’’ according to the New York Post.
