Protests against the Israel-Gaza war are continuing at university campuses across the country. Last night, Virginia Tech was the scene of the most recent arrests as police removed protesters from an encampment. Police gave protesters five minutes to clear the area or face arrest after the school deemed the situation had the potential to become unsafe.
Protests against Israel are disrupting major universities around the U.S. The situation escalated when pro-Palestinian protestors formed an encampment on the Columbia University campus and demanded the school divest from Israel. Similar protests and encampments have since broken out at other colleges across the country resulting in hundreds of arrests. The White House has condemned the antisemitic rhetoric and said demonstrations must remain peaceful, and President Biden also condemned “those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians.”
There are no reports of arrests or injuries after dueling protests on the UCLA campus turned physical. This UCLA alumna, demonstrating on the pro-Israeli side, says she feels sympathy for current students. UCLA officials say, on Sunday, there were “physical altercations” after demonstrators breached a barricade meant to separate pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protests. Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters have been camping out outside of UCLA’s Royce Hall since last Thursday. A pro-Israeli counter-rally was held on Sunday. The university says it is adding more security measures and security officers following the fights.
At least 900 protesters have been arrested at university campuses across the country since demonstrations against the Israel-Gaza war started around a week and a half ago. Last night, Virginia Tech was the scene of the most recent arrests as police removed protesters from an encampment. On Saturday, around a hundred protesters were arrested at Boston’s Northeastern University while Friday saw more than 70 arrested at Arizona State University. Police at the University of Southern California said there were no arrests at a protest on campus Saturday night. The school recently canceled its main graduation ceremony after protests started when a Muslim student had her valedictorian speech canceled.
A group of House Democrats is calling on Columbia University leaders to end the ongoing pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus. Representatives Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey and Dan Goldman of New York led the group of 21 Democrats in a letter to Columbia’s board members demanding they end the encampment or step down from their positions. The ongoing protest against the Israel-Hamas war has led to allegations of antisemitism and safety concerns among Jewish students. The protest that has been ongoing for more than a week has sparked similar encampments on college campuses across the country.
Columbia University is giving anti-Israel student protestors until 2 p.m. to break up their encampment or risk suspension through next school year. The University of Southern California is canceling its main commencement ceremony. This comes after on-campus protests have taken place following the school informing the valedictorian she would not be giving her speech. Dozens of people were arrested after pro-Palestinian protests erupted on campus this week. Graduation ceremonies for USC’s schools and colleges will happen as planned.
Police are arresting people and tearing down an anti-Israel encampment on the University of Georgia. The dean of students had warned protests are protected speech, but tents are not allowed. The group refused to leave, just like at many other college campuses around the country. In New York, people at Columbia are refusing to take down their encampment and face a 2 p.m. deadline to do so.
