The Protests at US Universities and What They Want Clarified

On Tuesday, a group of people pitched a camp in front of MIT’s chapel, with at least twenty tents surrounded by metal fence. They want the school to end its research partnerships with the Israeli military, according to CNN.

Protesters have established a “free Palestine encampment” in Sproul Plaza, a prominent campus location, at the University of California, Berkeley. Quoted as saying by Spokesman Dan Mogulof to CNN, “We are getting reports from Jewish students who feel uncomfortable.” So yet, no arrests have been reported.

At the University of Michigan, a camp consisting of around twenty tents was established on Monday. As a result, the school has beefed up campus security. According to NBC News, the university’s associate VP for public relations, Colleen Mastony, said, “We are carefully monitoring the situation and remain prepared to appropriately address any harassment or threats against any member of our community.”

On Sunday, students came out in support of Asna Tabassum, the valedictorian of the 2024 class, at the USC campus. Because of security concerns related to her pro-Palestinian social media activities, university administrators removed Ms. Tabassum’s speech from the forthcoming commencement ceremony earlier this month.

Demonstrators at Boston’s Emerson College have built up tent cities in an alley off Boylston Street to call for the university to support “Palestinian liberation” and show their support for the Palestinian cause! According to Jay Bernhardt, president of Emerson institution, the Boston Police have authority over the land as it is not solely controlled by the institution.

The Reactions of the Authorities
On Tuesday morning, after the establishment of an encampment on campus, nine students from the University of Minnesota were detained.

According to NBC, President Minouche Shafik said that pro-Palestinian demonstrators had until midnight to “dismantle the encampment, disperse, and follow university policies going forward” or face disciplinary action from Columbia University.

The New York Police Department reports that on Monday night, demonstrations at New York University became more disorderly as officers were attacked with bottles after officials requested their assistance in dispersing the expanding throng. The arrests included over 150 individuals, some of whom were NYU students and teachers.

On Tuesday, after at least 45 demonstrators were arrested, there was an increase in pro-Palestinian rallies at Yale University. On Monday morning, they were arrested on trespassing charges; they had established a campsite in Beinecke Plaza on campus since Friday night.

If the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee does not cease all organizational operations for the rest of the 2024 semester, it might be suspended or perhaps expelled, according to the Harvard Crimson. Access to Harvard Yard has been limited until Friday in an effort to deter pro-Palestinian protests or encampments, according to Harvard University.

An email was sent out to students and professors in the impacted region, explaining that this is being done “out of an abundance of caution and with the safety of our community as a priority.”

The attack on a music festival in southern Israel on October 7 sparked a larger wave of student action, which includes these rallies. The students are demanding an end to Israel’s assault on Gaza. In the first assault, more than 1,200 Israelis perished; in the subsequent retaliatory attacks, more than 34,000 Palestinians perished; and all Gazan institutions of higher learning and healthcare were leveled to the ground.