College Students Nationwide Protest Gaza War with Barricades, Encampments, and Arrests

Standoffs between pro-Palestinian student protesters and universities escalated on both coasts Wednesday, with tensions rising at Columbia University and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. At Columbia, President Minouche Shafik issued a deadline for protesters to clear out their encampment, but as the deadline passed, no agreement was reached. The situation grew more intense as U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson planned to visit the campus to address antisemitism.

Meanwhile, at Cal Poly Humboldt, students used furniture, tents, chains, and zip ties to barricade themselves inside buildings, leading to clashes with police in riot gear. The defiance in this conservative region of California surprised many, with students expressing shock at the police response.

Across the country, universities are struggling to balance campus safety with free speech rights as protests over Israel’s conflict with Hamas continue to intensify. Some Jewish students have raised concerns about antisemitism, prompting universities to take more heavy-handed measures in response to the demonstrations.

The wave of protests has also spread to other campuses, including Yale, the University of Michigan, and the University of Minnesota, where arrests have been made as students demand their voices be heard. As tensions continue to rise, students like Christian Deleon at Harvard are calling for a space to express their views while also acknowledging the need for safety and respect on campus.

The demonstrations, sparked by Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, have reignited debates over free speech, safety, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on college campuses across the country. As the protests show no signs of abating, universities are facing difficult decisions on how to navigate the competing demands of students while ensuring a safe and inclusive campus environment.