Pro-Palestinian protests lead to arrests of college students nationwide in the US

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The tensions between pro-Palestinian student protesters and universities in the US are escalating, with concerns about threats to Jewish students and faculty being cited as a reason for harder crackdowns on demonstrators.

In New York, Columbia University’s administration has issued a deadline for hundreds of demonstrators to clear a large campsite, while in Northern California, dozens of students remain barricaded inside two buildings on a campus.

These incidents are part of a growing wave of student demonstrations against Israel’s war with Hamas, resulting in numerous arrests for charges such as trespassing and disorderly conduct.

Columbia’s president, Minouche Shafik, set a midnight deadline for an agreement with students to clear the camp, warning of “alternative options” if no agreement was reached. Despite some protesters taking down their tents, others remained defiant.

The rise in tensions coincided with US House Speaker Mike Johnson’s visit to Columbia to address antisemitism on college campuses.

Across the country, protesters at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, used furniture, tents, chains, and zip ties to block building entrances, leading to arrests and campus closures.

Universities are now facing the challenge of balancing campus safety with free speech rights, as some institutions are cracking down on demonstrations due to safety threats to Jewish students and faculty.

The protests, sparked by Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, have intensified in recent days, with arrests at various universities across the US. The demonstrations demand that schools condemn Israel’s actions in Gaza and divest from companies selling weapons to Israel.