State: New York
City: New York City
Campus: Columbia University (Columbia)
Originally from San José, Costa Rica, Fernando Montero Castrillo now works at Columbia University’s Social Intervention Group, where his research centers on public health and social systems. Yet his public role at Columbia has increasingly revolved around political activism surrounding Israel and Palestine.
In April 2024, Montero joined the pro-Hamas encampment on Columbia’s campus, a protest space documented for its aggressive rhetoric, intimidation of Jewish students, and open defiance of university safety directives. His presence as a research scientist gave faculty endorsement to a movement that was already escalating into a crisis.
That same month, he signed a collective statement from untenured faculty across Columbia, Barnard, and Teachers College expressing solidarity with protesters and condemning suspensions and police intervention. The letter framed administrative safety measures as repression, not acknowledging the atmosphere of antisemitic hostility that Jewish students repeatedly reported.
Montero’s activism has deep roots. In 2016, he co-authored a statement supporting the American Anthropological Association’s academic boycott of Israeli institutions, calling it an act of solidarity against alleged Israeli “repression.” In 2021, he publicly shared content praising “Palestinian resistance,” aligning himself with rhetoric that glorifies confrontation rather than dialogue.
Across his public posts and affiliations, Montero consistently embraces political positions that cast Israel as a colonial aggressor and normalize the narratives now used in campus protest movements.
Montero’s position at Columbia lends institutional legitimacy to political activism. His participation in protests and his endorsement of academic boycotts bridge the gap between scholarship and radical organizing.
Apr 2024: Participated in the pro-Hamas encampment
Apr 2024: Signed a faculty solidarity letter rejecting suspensions and police intervention
May 2016: Co-authored a statement backing the American Anthropological Association’s academic boycott of Israel
May 2021: Shared content praising Palestinian resistance
2016 to present: Publicly aligned with pro-Palestinian activism in academic and political contexts
Montero’s affiliations place him firmly among faculty who seek to embed anti-Israel activism within academic institutions, defend protest escalation, and frame administrative responses as political repression.
Montero’s participation in the 2024 encampment was not symbolic. Faculty involvement like his helped validate a protest environment where Jewish students experienced harassment, exclusion, and open hostility. When faculty stand shoulder to shoulder with activists broadcasting antisemitic slogans and refusing to comply with basic safety rules, it sends a clear message that the university’s academic leaders see this behavior as principled rather than harmful.
His long-standing support for academic boycotts and praise for Palestinian resistance further reinforces the ideological framework that fuels these protests. Students look to faculty for cues, and Montero’s choices consistently signal that confrontation and escalation are not only acceptable but morally justified.
This kind of faculty involvement contributes directly to a breakdown in campus safety, creates an atmosphere where Jewish students feel abandoned, and undermines trust in the university’s willingness to protect all members of the community.
Accountability is essential. Faculty influence has power, and when that influence legitimizes hostile activism, the consequences are real and lasting.
