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Cornell University President Accused of Backing Into Student in Parking Lot Confrontation

Cornell said surveillance video shows Michael Kotlikoff backing out of a parking space as people stood behind his car after an Israel-Palestinian debate.

  • On Sunday, Cornell University released enhanced surveillance footage showing President Michael Kotlikoff backing his car into students near Day Hall, appearing to contradict his earlier account of the Thursday incident.
  • President Kotlikoff claimed in a Friday email he was "accosted" and harassed by individuals who blocked his vehicle after a Thursday debate on Israel's response to the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
  • Students Aiden Vallecillo and Hudson Athas questioned the president about free expression when the vehicle struck them; Athas asked, "Am I allowed to stand here?" before Vallecillo shouted, "You just rolled over my f---ing foot."
  • Cornell EMS responded after a 911 call, but Vallecillo says he is "fearful" of pressing charges, arguing that Kotlikoff oversees the police department and released "false information about us and our actions."
  • The confrontation followed a debate series hosted by the Cornell Political Union, reflecting broader campus friction over free speech, protest policies, and the administration's response to student activism.
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Finger Lakes Daily News broke the news on Monday, May 4, 2026.
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