Colleges Crack Down on Pro-Palestinian Protesters: Arrests, Suspensions, and Encampment Clearances at Universities Across the US
Colleges in the US urged pro-Palestinian student protesters to vacate tent encampments with increasing insistence on Monday.
At the University of Texas and Columbia University, police arrested demonstrators who refused to comply.
Dozens of officers in riot gear confronted protesters at the University of Texas, arresting six and using pepper spray and flash bang explosives to disperse the crowd.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott shared videos of state troopers arriving on campus.
Columbia suspended students involved in the protest.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has banned encampments on university grounds, following clashes between police and student protesters at the University of Texas and Columbia University.
Last week, police arrested 34 protesters at the University of Texas.
At Columbia, around 120 students refused to leave their encampment past a deadline, instead marching around the campus and chanting.
The university suspended students for their involvement but did not call the police or indicate how many students were affected or how the suspensions would be enforced.
Counter-demonstrators with Israeli flags were present.
The university president, Chang, expressed concerns over a student protest encampment, stating it was disrupting teaching and final exam preparations, as well as making some Jewish students uncomfortable.
Protest organizers reported no suspensions as of Monday evening.
The university threatened suspensions for those who did not leave by a deadline and commit to abide by policies through June 2025.
Similar pro-Palestinian protests have occurred at other US schools, with students demanding their universities sever ties with Israel due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and rising death toll.
Approximately 1,000 arrests have been made during campus protests, with some spreading to Europe, including at the Sorbonne university in France.
College classes are ending and graduation ceremonies are approaching, giving schools an incentive to clear encampments.
Some universities, such as the University of Southern California, have canceled graduation ceremonies due to protests.
However, students have continued to protest at high-profile universities like Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale, setting up new camps and facing potential disciplinary action and arrests.
Yale University announced on Monday that it does not tolerate policy violations such as encampments for peaceful protests, even as it supports free speech.
The protest at Yale is near residential colleges where students are studying for final exams, and permission is required for groups to hold events and put up structures on campus.
Northwestern University reached an agreement with the majority of protesters on its campus, allowing peaceful demonstrations until the end of spring classes, but requiring the removal of all tents except one for aid, and restricting the demonstration area to students, faculty, and staff.
Brown University offered protest leaders the chance to meet with officials to discuss their arguments for divestment from Israel-linked companies in exchange for ending the encampment.
Columbia University officials wrote to student protesters asking them to remove their encampment before exams and graduation to avoid disrupting these events for other students.
The protests have caused remote learning.
The university stated bringing back police at the moment would be unnecessary, but will provide an alternative protest venue after exams and graduation.
Columbia's handling of the protests has resulted in federal complaints and a class-action lawsuit from Jewish students alleging a breach of contract, claiming the university failed to ensure a safe learning environment and violated their right to in-person classes.
The lawsuit seeks quick court action and security for the students.
A legal group is urging the US Department of Education to investigate Columbia University for potential Civil Rights Act violations regarding the treatment of pro-Palestinian students, who have been arrested and suspended.
The students and faculty are demanding amnesty and are concerned about the long-term consequences of their records.
Protests are ongoing at other campuses as well, with students vowing to remain until their demands are met.
A UNC graduate student, Jacob Ginn, has been protesting for four days and is prepared to stay until the university meets their demands, despite the possibility of police action.
Dozens of officers in riot gear confronted protesters at the University of Texas, arresting six and using pepper spray and flash bang explosives to disperse the crowd.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott shared videos of state troopers arriving on campus.
Columbia suspended students involved in the protest.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has banned encampments on university grounds, following clashes between police and student protesters at the University of Texas and Columbia University.
Last week, police arrested 34 protesters at the University of Texas.
At Columbia, around 120 students refused to leave their encampment past a deadline, instead marching around the campus and chanting.
The university suspended students for their involvement but did not call the police or indicate how many students were affected or how the suspensions would be enforced.
Counter-demonstrators with Israeli flags were present.
The university president, Chang, expressed concerns over a student protest encampment, stating it was disrupting teaching and final exam preparations, as well as making some Jewish students uncomfortable.
Protest organizers reported no suspensions as of Monday evening.
The university threatened suspensions for those who did not leave by a deadline and commit to abide by policies through June 2025.
Similar pro-Palestinian protests have occurred at other US schools, with students demanding their universities sever ties with Israel due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and rising death toll.
Approximately 1,000 arrests have been made during campus protests, with some spreading to Europe, including at the Sorbonne university in France.
College classes are ending and graduation ceremonies are approaching, giving schools an incentive to clear encampments.
Some universities, such as the University of Southern California, have canceled graduation ceremonies due to protests.
However, students have continued to protest at high-profile universities like Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale, setting up new camps and facing potential disciplinary action and arrests.
Yale University announced on Monday that it does not tolerate policy violations such as encampments for peaceful protests, even as it supports free speech.
The protest at Yale is near residential colleges where students are studying for final exams, and permission is required for groups to hold events and put up structures on campus.
Northwestern University reached an agreement with the majority of protesters on its campus, allowing peaceful demonstrations until the end of spring classes, but requiring the removal of all tents except one for aid, and restricting the demonstration area to students, faculty, and staff.
Brown University offered protest leaders the chance to meet with officials to discuss their arguments for divestment from Israel-linked companies in exchange for ending the encampment.
Columbia University officials wrote to student protesters asking them to remove their encampment before exams and graduation to avoid disrupting these events for other students.
The protests have caused remote learning.
The university stated bringing back police at the moment would be unnecessary, but will provide an alternative protest venue after exams and graduation.
Columbia's handling of the protests has resulted in federal complaints and a class-action lawsuit from Jewish students alleging a breach of contract, claiming the university failed to ensure a safe learning environment and violated their right to in-person classes.
The lawsuit seeks quick court action and security for the students.
A legal group is urging the US Department of Education to investigate Columbia University for potential Civil Rights Act violations regarding the treatment of pro-Palestinian students, who have been arrested and suspended.
The students and faculty are demanding amnesty and are concerned about the long-term consequences of their records.
Protests are ongoing at other campuses as well, with students vowing to remain until their demands are met.
A UNC graduate student, Jacob Ginn, has been protesting for four days and is prepared to stay until the university meets their demands, despite the possibility of police action.
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Translated by AI
