Bloomberg weighs in on Brooklyn College speaker controversy

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Mayor Michael Bloomberg is speaking up for the cause of academic freedom amid controversy over an event at a public college.

The speakers in question advocate boycotting Israel to try to influence its policy toward Palestinians.

Bloomberg said Wednesday he “couldn’t disagree more violently” with that viewpoint.

But he also very strongly agrees with an academic institution’s right to sponsor a forum on any topic of its choice.

One city councilman has suggested he’d withhold support for funding for Brooklyn College if Thursday’s event moves forward.

Bloomberg says politicians shouldn’t try to use their purse-string power to micromanage discourse at public institutions.

The college says it will hear other viewpoints in coming weeks.

The event is sponsored partly by the political science department.

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