A surge of pro-Palestinian protests has engulfed U.S. college campuses this week, leading to the arrest of hundreds of demonstrators. The focal point of these demonstrations is Columbia University in New York, where students have vowed to continue protesting until the university severs ties with Israeli academic institutions and divests from entities linked to Israel.
The protests, which have taken root across the country, have unified a diverse group of students including Palestinians, Arabs, Jews, and Muslims, all voicing opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Recent Developments Across Campuses:
- Columbia University: The faculty senate is poised to vote on a resolution that criticizes President Minouche Shafik for her handling of the protests, specifically her decision to involve police to disperse demonstrators.
- University of Southern California: Citing safety concerns, USC has canceled its main commencement ceremony scheduled for next month after nearly 100 arrests on campus.
- Emory University: 28 individuals, including 20 associated with Emory, were arrested during campus protests, prompting criticism over the use of excessive force by Georgia State Patrol.
- Brown University: Approximately 130 students are being disciplined for violating a conduct code against encampments on campus grounds.
- Emerson College: Over 100 arrests were made and four officers were injured during the clearing of a protest encampment, as the college president acknowledged the protesters’ civic activism.
- Indiana University: Police detained 33 individuals following protests at encampment sites on campus.
- George Washington University: GWU’s president requested police assistance to clear an unauthorized protest encampment after demonstrators ignored requests to relocate.
- University of California, Los Angeles: Protesters have set up encampments as part of ongoing demonstrations.
- Northeastern University: Protesters in Boston formed a human chain around tents in a new encampment.
These campus protests are part of a broader movement that includes demonstrations at other prestigious institutions such as MIT, University of Texas at Austin, University of Michigan, and more. The protests underscore a growing solidarity movement within the academic community against perceived injustices in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
