Johnson criticized university president Minouche Shafik for losing control of the situation and called for her resignation.

In Texas and California, similar protests led to dozens of arrests.

Johnson held a news conference with other Republican lawmakers, dismissing the protests as unprotected free speech and accusing Columbia of failing to restore order and protect Jewish students from antisemitism.

Ivy League university students set up a protest encampment a week ago, and on 18 April, the university asked New York city police to clear the camp, leading to approximately 100 arrests.

Johnson, the speaker at an event nearby, expressed concern over the protests, stating they were not being conducted in a lawful manner.

He urged students to return to class and called the protests "nonsense." Protesters heckled Johnson throughout his remarks, and he suggested the possibility of National Guard troops being called in, although New York Governor Hochul had no plans to do so.

Protesters at the University of Missouri have set up tents and continued demonstrations, with negotiations ongoing between university officials and protest leaders regarding camp size.

Students have been given the option to attend classes online due to safety concerns.

Professor Page Fortna of Columbia University reported objectionable incidents, such as a flag being torn from a student's hand and problematic comments, but no physical violence against Jewish students.

She deemed accusations of widespread antisemitism on campus as exaggerated.

Protesters at New York University this week argued that incidents of harassment of Jewish students were rare and exaggerated.

Outside agitators were blamed for stirring up the protests by NY police and school officials.

A masked protester shouted antisemitic slurs outside the campus, which was condemned by other protest supporters.

Jewish students expressed concerns about a threatening campus environment.

Israeli students at Columbia University, including a veteran and a master's student from New Jersey, have reported experiencing antisemitic acts since protests against Israel's war in Gaza began.

Guy Sela, an Israeli student, shared that he and other Jewish students have faced verbal threats and name-calling.

Jonathan Swill, another student, plans to move to Israel after graduation due to the uncomfortable environment and fear of physical attacks.

The protests at Columbia University followed police arrests at an encampment in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

On Wednesday, universities in Austin, Texas; Los Angeles, California; Columbus, Ohio; Boston, Massachusetts; and Berkeley, California, experienced protests and ensuing police actions.

In Austin, Governor Greg Abbott announced arrests were being made after protesters gathered at the University of Texas.

About 20 people were arrested.

In Los Angeles, the University of Southern California restricted access due to vandalism and confrontations, resulting in two arrests.

At Ohio State University, two students were arrested following a protest.

In Boston, protesters set up camps at Harvard University and other universities including MIT, Tufts, and Emerson.

At the University of California, Berkeley, a camp was established in Sproul Plaza.

University authorities will allow anti-Israeli occupation protests, known as "divestment camps," as long as they do not disrupt university operations.

These camps have been reported at several universities, including the New School in Florida, the University of Michigan, and the University of Rochester in New York.

Activists are urging universities to stop investing in companies involved in weapons manufacturing and other industries supporting Israel's war in Gaza.

Israel denies committing genocide in the Palestinian enclave, but the International Court of Justice finds the accusation plausible.

The conflict began when Hamas-led gunmen attacked southern Israel, killing over 1,200 civilians and taking 253 hostages on October 7, 2022.

Over 34,000 people, primarily children and women, have lost their lives in Gaza since the given event, according to the Hamas-administered health ministry.