Image source, Getty Images
- author, Max Matza
- Role, BBC News
Protests demanding that universities boycott companies and individuals with ties to Israel amid the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip have spread across college campuses across the United States.
Tensions rose on campuses following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped about 250 others, according to Israeli authorities.
This was the spark that ignited the current war, in which the Israeli military attack resulted in the deaths of more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to figures from the Ministry of Health in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas.
the Columbia University in New York was the first Camping and protests were recorded, but have since broken out in other parts of the country.
On campuses in Los Angeles, California, and Atlanta, Georgia, students were arrested for protesting.
Also on the campus of the University of Austin in Texas, whose governor ordered state police to arrest protesters.
Although there are ongoing protests in more than twenty universities, there are universities where the phenomenon is greater.
Mass arrests
Columbia University was the first university to have a large pro-Palestinian encampment on its campus. He is also one of the first accused of anti-Semitism.
Last week they were More than 100 demonstrators were arrested After the president of that university, Nemat Shafiq, asked the police to evacuate the protest site.
His request came after testifying before Congress about the university's response to alleged anti-Semitism on campus.
But the mass arrests, rather than calming morale, galvanized the movement, according to demonstrators who remained at the scene a week later.
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, whose daughter was arrested in Colombia, told BBC News on Thursday that the movement began with a small number of students but spread quickly due to mass arrests.
He told the BBC: “This movement started with only 70 students. Because Columbia University decided to take strict action against them and violate the First Amendment, this movement has spread nationally and internationally.”
In the case of Emory University, in Atlanta (Georgia), there were dozens of protesters who, Without belonging to this centerThe center said in a statement that it set up shop in tents on campus early Thursday morning.
According to the center, the group of hackers was later joined by members of the university community.
When the protesters refused to disperse, the Emory Police Department “arrested dozens of people,” though the statement did not say exactly how many people were there or what charges they might face.
A risky decision
At the University of Southern California, it was decided to cancel the graduation speech given by the best student every year, and immediately afterwards, The graduation ceremony has been cancelled The main one is scheduled for May 10. The concert was expected to attract about 65,000 people to campus.
All this caused great anger on campus.
The valedictorian, who was selected for her high grades and involvement in university life, posted a link to a website critical of Israel, leading to accusations of anti-Semitism.
For its part, the university said the cancellation of the speech and event was due to unspecified threats to campus security, and did not condemn the student's post.
The decision angered pro- and anti-Israel demonstrators.
Pro-Palestinian supporters asked the best student, a Muslim, to speak.
Pro-Israel students asked the school to condemn his posts.
On Wednesday, the center contacted the Los Angeles Police and arrested 93 people.
Image source, Getty Images
More protest camps
At George Washington University in Washington, D.C., protest camps began forming on Thursday.
The campus, located in the northwest of the city, is usually quiet, but now there are at least 20 tents.
The establishment of the camp came as hundreds of students and faculty marched from Georgetown University to George Washington University.
At the nearby American University, a group of students set up a protest camp in front of the university president’s office.
In this case, no one has been arrested yet.
But that's not the case at the University of Texas at Austin, where police said they arrested 57 people Wednesday night. In fact, agents from the Texas Department of Public Safety were seen wearing their gear With riot gear And on a motorcycle to repel the demonstrators.
Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who called the police, posted on X that the protests were anti-Semitic and called for the protesting students to be expelled.
State Democrats accused him of using… Mass arrests as an “election demand”
The state National Guard issued a statement denying that it was mobilizing to make arrests on campus.
“While the Texas National Guard was aware and prepared to respond to the protests yesterday, no Soldiers were sent to campus during the event,” the Texas Military Department said in a statement.
He added that the force is ready “to respond if asked to do so.”
Image source, Getty Images
Protests in Manhattan
Police on Monday arrested 120 people who set up a makeshift camp on the New York University campus in midtown Manhattan.
All but four of those arrested are accused of trespassing.
At Harvard University, which is located in Massachusetts, people also gathered for the camp starting Wednesday, after the university administration suspended the student group of the Palestinian Solidarity Committee at Harvard University.
The president of Harvard University did not rule out calling on the police to intervene, although no one has been arrested yet.
Although these are the main places where protests are taking place, at least in twenty other centres, even In some high schools From the United States, there are demonstrations.
For example, in Boston, 108 people were arrested at Emerson College early Thursday morning, prompting that university to cancel classes. Four police officers were injured during the protest.
In Connecticut, protests continue at Yale University, even after 48 people were arrested on Wednesday. All but four of those arrested were Yale University students.
On Tuesday, high school students in the Seattle area walked out of classes to protest the war. New Jersey school officials strongly warned high school students not to participate in the walkout scheduled for Friday.
And remember, you can receive notifications in our app. Download the latest version and activate it.
Ethan Walker writes for News Collective, covering news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. He focuses on clear, reliable reporting and useful information, helping readers stay informed about current events, emerging trends, and stories that matter.