 "Student protests erupt at US campuses as Israel's war in Gaza continues")
Israel’s war in Gaza, Palestine, has prompted student protests and demonstrations on university campuses in the United States. These demonstrations have sparked heated debates over free speech and the ongoing conflict, leading to arrests and disruptions at prestigious institutions such as New York University, Yale University, and Columbia University. Here is the latest on the situation.
Police arrest student protestors
At New York University (NYU), the police intervened on Monday evening to dismantle a protest encampment near the Stern School of Business. More than a 100 students were arrested.
The demonstrators, mostly students, had reportedly demanded transparency regarding the university’s financial ties to weapons manufacturers and companies involved in the Israeli occupation.
Earlier that day, nearly 50 students were arrested at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, where authorities confronted hundreds of protesters, many of whom refused to disperse.
Protest encampments have also been set up at various other elite learning centres including the University of California at Berkeley, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Michigan, Emerson College, and Tufts University.
Concern for student safety
Pro-Palestine protests on campuses have led to concerns about violence and anti-Semitism. A group called Students Supporting Israel cited instances of intimidation and verbal attacks targeting Jewish, Israeli, and Zionist students.
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In response to such allegations, pro-Palestine protesters released statements condemning hatred and emphasised their commitment to peaceful protest and social justice.
They highlighted the dangers they faced, including misidentification, doxxing, and arrests, as they demanded accountability from their universities.
Columbia University and Congressional testimony
Columbia University president, Minouche Shafik, a week ago testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on alleged anti-Semitism on college campuses.
New York Representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican, is among lawmakers who have called for action against university leaders for their alleged failure to effectively address the unrest.
On December 5, 2023, then-presidents of Harvard University, Claudine Gay, and the University of Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Magill, were also called to testify before the House Committee. Both resigned shortly after their hearings.
Shafik said Columbia University "strives to be a community free of discrimination and hate in all forms and we condemn the antisemitism that is so pervasive today." She added that a working group had been established to "try to bring this crisis to a resolution."
A day after the hearing, Shafik authorised the New York Police to enter the campus, where more than 100 demonstrators were arrested, according to a report by the Columbia Spectator, a student-run media group.
Columbia University has now shifted all classes to virtual settings in response to "intimidating and harassing behaviour" on campus, according to a report by The Guardian.
Biden’s response to campus protests
The White House has condemned any calls for violence or intimidation targeting Jewish students, labelling them as anti-Semitic and dangerous.
A statement released by the White House read, "While every American has the right to peaceful protest, calls for violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly Antisemitic, unconscionable, and dangerous."
When asked about the campus unrest, President Joe Biden denounced " anti-Semitic protests" and criticised "those who don't understand what's going on with the Palestinians".
According to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, Israeli forces have caused the deaths of at least 33,000 people and injured over 76,000 others since October 7 in the Gaza Strip.
In Israel, officials report that Hamas and other Palestinian militants have killed at least 1,200 people and injured 6,900 others in an attack on October 7.