Cornell President Says He Faced Harassment After Parking Lot Clash with Protesters

Cornell University's president said he endured harassment and intimidation after a group of protesters followed him to his car in an on-campus parking lot on April 30.

The confrontation followed an Israel-Palestine debate series introduced by President Michael Kotlikoff. The event was hosted by the Cornell Political Union and co-sponsored by Cornellians for Israel, Cornell Progressives and Students for Justice in Palestine, according to Kotlikoff's statement.

Kotlikoff said the group—made up of students and non-students known to Cornell for past verbal and online abuse against administrators and staff—followed him from the event across campus. Two members had been banned from campus after a disruptive protest.

"These individuals followed me from the event space and across campus, while loudly shouting questions and recording on their phones," Kotlikoff said. "After answering a few questions, I let them know that I was not planning to engage further, and asked them to stop recording."

He added that they replied, "No, we are not going to stop." The group then surrounded his car, banging on the windows, blocking it and shouting. Kotlikoff waited for space behind the vehicle and used its rear pedestrian alert and automatic braking system to slowly back out and leave.

Aiden Vallecillo, a member of Students for a Democratic Cornell, told WSYR the students sought to question Kotlikoff peacefully about free speech repression on campus. Video from the university shows Kotlikoff's black Cadillac backing out as the group stood behind it.

"As we were still trying to talk to him, he just immediately started reversing into us," Vallecillo said. The group claims Kotlikoff backed into one student and ran over Vallecillo's foot before driving off.

Sophia Arnold, the group's president, told WSYR she saw the incident and called Kotlikoff's actions shocking. "I don’t even have a words for it. I was pretty shocked and offended," she said. "A random pedestrian pulling out of a supermarket parking lot would probably have shown more care."

Arnold disputed Kotlikoff's account. "Contrary to the university statement, we really weren’t intending to block President Kotlikoff in his car," she said. She noted he gave no signal, honk or request to move.

It was unclear as of Monday whether campus police had been notified.