Unrest on campus: Pro-Palestine demonstrations are plaguing US colleges

NEW DELHI: Following the arrest of more than 100 protestors at Columbia University last week, student demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas conflict have sprung up on a number of college campuses. Students are calling for colleges to sever their connections with businesses that back Israel’s military operations in Gaza and, in some situations, with Israel itself.

Students claim they are motivated by their counterparts at other campuses, yet coalitions of autonomous student organizations have organized the demonstrations.

Pro-Palestinian student demonstrators erected a tent camp at Columbia University, which resulted in the arrest of over 100 demonstrators on April 18. Faculty members publicly chastised the institution for using hybrid learning, while the administration persisted in talks with the demonstrators.
University of Columbia
On Friday afternoon, students said that talks with the administration had reached a deadlock and that they intended to remain in their camp until their demands were met. Columbian officials had previously said that negotiations were progressing. A typical spring Friday passed, with students enjoying a quick snack or relaxing on the library steps as soon-to-be grads posed for pictures in their powder-blue gowns. Hundreds of police officers were stationed outside the gates, and there were several media representatives present on campus.

The Columbia University faculty censured president Minouche Shafik sharply on Friday, but she still has the support of the trustees, who have the power to nominate or remove the president. Shafik and her administration were found to have made “many actions and decisions that have harmed Columbia University,” including calling the police, according to an executive committee report. The committee serves as the university senate’s faculty representation body. After reviewing the report, the Senate passed a resolution creating a task force to supervise any further changes the administration made.
Hundreds of counterprotesters poured onto the streets outside Columbia on Friday morning, many of them clutching Israeli flags and demanding the release of the hostages held by Hamas and other terrorist groups.
Southern California University
The University of Southern California chose to postpone its main stage graduation ceremony, which was originally set for May 10, due to disturbance on campus. The university had previously decided to postpone the pro-Palestinian valedictorian’s graduation address because of security fears. The Los Angeles Police Department said on Wednesday night that during a protest at the school, over ninety people were arrested on trespassing charges. One individual was taken into custody after being accused of assault with a dangerous weapon. No injuries were recorded. On Wednesday, the university announced that it had shuttered its campus and that anyone who stayed would be taken into custody by the police. Friday was the final day of instruction.
University of Ohio
Soon after their encounter on Thursday night, demonstrators and police got into a brawl at Ohio State University in Columbus. A spokesman for the university, Benjamin Johnson, said that those who refused to leave were detained and accused of trespassing. He remarked that the institution does not permit overnight activities. Johnson said on Friday that 16 of the 36 people detained were students, while the other 20 had no affiliation with the institution. The first day of classes is set for May 5.
University of George Washington
About fifty George Washington University students set up a tent camp in the university’s University Yard on Thursday in Washington, DC. Later in the day, a group of teachers and students from Georgetown University planned their own protest walkout, which they joined by marching to the George Washington campus. The protesters are asking the university to remove the penalties it has imposed on a well-known student group that has divested from Israel and supports Palestine.
Monday is the penultimate day of classes before the institution’s final examinations, and graduation is scheduled for May 19. Due to the protestors’ loud noise, the university declared that the law school exams will now be held in a different location from the one where they were originally planned.
University of New York
Earlier last week, the number of protestors at a campground created by NYU students reached hundreds. According to the police, 133 protestors were taken into custody on Wednesday. They said that due to suspected disruptive conduct, everyone was released and given a summons to appear in court. The first day is set on May 15.
Pennsylvania University
A small but growing protest camp remained on the University of Pennsylvania’s Philadelphia campus early on Friday. In a statement, the school said that it was “closely monitoring” the camp, which had started on Thursday, and that it had not heard of any instances of protesters behaving threateningly or violently. They did, however, warn that any speech or protests that disrupted classes, violated university policies, or produced an “intimidating, hostile, or violent environment” would not be tolerated. The beginning of the school is scheduled for May 18–20.