{"id":34629,"date":"2024-04-26T15:06:27","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T13:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/?p=34629"},"modified":"2024-06-15T18:06:15","modified_gmt":"2024-06-15T16:06:15","slug":"pro-palestinian-protests-and-encampments-sweep-campuses-of-major-universities-across-the-united-states","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/?p=34629","title":{"rendered":"Pro-Palestinian protests and encampments sweep campuses of major universities across the United States"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

. TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY . . <\/p>\n

An article from The Arab American News<\/a><\/p>\n

College campuses have become breeding grounds for pro-Palestine protests. Student protesters have continued to set up encampments at their universities and display their support for Palestinians and against Israeli aggressions. Students are also demanding that their universities divest from companies that financially support Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nThe encampment created by protesters on the Columbia University campus on Wednesday, April 24. \u2013 Photo by Reuters.<\/center>
\n \u00a0
\nEncampments and protests have been reported at the following universities:<\/p>\n

\u00b0Columbia University in Manhattan, New York
\n\u00b0The New School in Manhattan
\n\u00b0New York University in Manhattan
\n\u00b0Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts
\n\u00b0Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island
\n\u00b0Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge
\n\u00b0Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts
\n\u00b0Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut
\n\u00b0Emerson College in Boston
\n\u00b0The University of Michigan
\n\u00b0The University of California, Berkeley
\n\u00b0The University of Southern California
\n\u00b0University of Pittsburgh
\n\u00b0University of Minnesota
\n\u00b0Ohio State University
\n\u00b0University of Texas at Arlington
\n\u00b0University of Texas at Austin
\n\u00b0University of Texas at Dallas
\n\u00b0University of Texas at San Antonio
\n\u00b0University of North Carolina at Charlotte
\n\u00b0Emory University in Atlanta
\n\u00b0University of New Mexico in Albuquerque
\n\u00b0American University in Washington
\n\u00b0Rice University in Houston<\/p>\n

(Editor’s note: An article in Al Jazeera<\/a>, mentions similar mobilizations in the Sorbonne University and Sciences Po of Paris, Univerities of Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, Sapienza University of Rome, and the universities of Warwick, Leicester and Leeds in England as of April 26. By May 14, according to Pressenza<\/a>, similar protests have spread to 17 countries, including India, Mexico, Japan, as well as the UK, Australia and France.)<\/p>\n

According to The Associated Press, with protests and encampments arising, universities have taken steps to extinguish tensions on campus. Columbia University shifted to remote classes, canceling in-person classes and the gates of the Harvard Yard were closed to the public. Crowds of protesters were arrested at Columbia University, New York University and Yale.<\/p>\n

These protests have also given rise to tensions between students, with both pro-Palestinian protesters denouncing Israel and Jewish students claiming that has led to anti-Semitism, which makes them feel unsafe. Pro-Israel students have said they feel that the protests occurring at their universities are only encouraging anti-Semitic and hate speech.<\/p>\n

According to Al Jazeera, student protesters said they are standing in \u201csolidarity with Palestinians in Gaza\u201d, where the death toll is now above 34,300, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.<\/p>\n

Columbia\u2019s University president, Minouche Shafik, released a statement to the school community regarding the protests and shared that she felt \u201cdeeply saddened\u201d by it all.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday,\u201d Shafik wrote, also adding that the students who live off campus shouldn\u2019t come to campus.<\/p>\n

Pro-Palestinian Columbia students file civil rights complaint<\/strong><\/p>\n

Palestine Legal filed a civil rights complaint against Columbia University this week through the U.S. Department of Education, demanding the agency\u2019s Office for Civil Rights investigate the school\u2019s treatment of Palestinian students and allies.<\/p>\n

The complaint goes beyond the events of the last week, when the NYPD arrested more than 100 protesting students. It alleged that for the past months, \u201cPalestinian students, Arabs, Muslims, students perceived to be Palestinian and students associated with or advocating for Palestinians\u201d were subject to anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian harassment and Islamophobia.<\/p>\n

The complaint represents four students and Columbia\u2019s Students for Justice in Palestine. Palestine Legal said these students received death threats and were \u201charassed for wearing keffiyehs or hijab, doxed, stereotyped, being treated differently by high-ranking administrators, including Columbia University President Minouche Shafik.\u201d<\/p>\n

Palestine Legal also said the school has the responsibility to protect its students, including Palestinians and supporters, and should not threaten or call the police or military. Columbia has denied threats to call the National Guard were ever on the table in negotiations with protesters.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince October 7 alone, the organization has received reports of over 1,800 incidents, over five times the number we received in all of 2022, reflecting an exponential rise in anti-Palestinian repression across the U.S.,\u201d Palestine Legal wrote in a press release.<\/p>\n

With protests at Harvard, a sign stated that Harvard Yard was closed to the public, only allowing structures, tents and tables onto the yard with prior permission. Security guards were also checking student IDs.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents violating these policies are subject to disciplinary action,\u201d the sign read.<\/p>\n

The university\u2019s administration suspended the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee, according to reports. The suspension notice\u00a0 stated that the committee\u2019s demonstration on April 19 had violated school policy and that committee members did not attend required trainings following a previous probation.<\/p>\n

The Palestine Solidarity Committee said in a statement that it was suspended over technicalities and that the university hadn\u2019t provided written clarification on the university\u2019s policies when asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor months, we have been disproportionately targeted by the administration on the grounds of technicalities that we tried to observe vigilantly in the interest of protecting student safety,\u201d the group said in a statement sent to\u00a0The Middle East Eye.<\/p>\n

About 45 protesters at Yale University were arrested and charged with trespassing, according to Officer Christian Bruckhart, a spokesperson for New Haven Police Department. All protesters were let go on promises they would appear in court, he said, in an\u00a0AP News\u00a0report.<\/p>\n

Protesters assembled tents on Beinecke Plaza at Yale and called for their university to action to divest from defense companies tied to Israel.<\/p>\n

Yale President Peter Salovey said in a statement to the school on Monday that police officers gave protesters \u201cseveral opportunities to leave and avoid arrest\u201d, adding that he felt \u201cdeeply saddened that the call for civil discourse and peaceful protest (he) issued\u201d was not recognized or listened to, referring to the previous email he sent Sunday, according to\u00a0The Yale Daily News.<\/p>\n

MIT graduate student Prahlad Iyengar was one of the student protesters who participated in the encampment on that campus Sunday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cMIT has not even called for a ceasefire, and that\u2019s a demand we have for sure,\u201d Iyengar said in an\u00a0AP News\u00a0report.<\/p>\n

Several dozen protesters arrested at Emory University<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thursday morning, an Emory University spokesperson said several dozen protesters \u201ctrespassed\u201d into Emory\u2019s campus to set up tents on the school\u2019s quad.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe activists who initially gathered were not recognized as members of our community and were disrupting the university as our students finish classes and prepare for finals,\u201d a statement read.<\/p>\n

Members of the Emory community later joined the initial group, according to the spokesperson.<\/p>\n

Pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with police at the Georgia university on Thursday. Police used pepper spray and pepper balls to clear the area of demonstrators, a CNN team on the scene reported.<\/p>\n

The statement said \u201ca couple dozen people\u201d were taken into custody after the Emory Police Department notified them they were trespassing and the people refused to leave.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, a group of Democratic Georgia state lawmakers\u00a0 condemned the \u201cexcessive force used by Georgia State Patrol\u201d during arrests at Emory University.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe use of extreme anti-riot tactics by Georgia State Patrol, including tasers and gas, is a dangerous escalation to protests which were by all accounts peaceful and nonviolent,\u201d Georgia State Rep. Ruwa Romman, a Democrat who is also Palestinian,\u00a0posted on social media\u00a0in a statement co-signed by 10 other legislators.<\/p>\n

(continued in right column)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Question related to this article:<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

\n

Presenting the Palestinian side of the Middle East, Is it important for a culture of peace?<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

(continued from left column)<\/p>\n

The group blamed Georgia leaders and said they have created an environment where \u201cstate police feel free or perhaps are directed\u2014 to respond to normal peaceful protests with violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot allow this dangerous repression to continue,\u201d they continued in the statement. \u201cRegardless of one\u2019s views on this or any other issue, there is no justification for this kind of excessive force. We call on all state officials to immediately deescalate and prevent further harm to our constituents.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ACLU of Georgia also said on Thursday it was concerned about law enforcement\u2019s response to the protests.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe freedom to protest without retribution is essential to our democracy,\u201d the organization said in a statement. \u201cAtlanta has historically been a place where citizens could freely exercise their rights to protest, but we have unfortunately seen a series of unconstitutional crackdowns on speech and protest across Georgia in recent years. Colleges and universities should be places where viewpoints, expression, debate and free speech are encouraged, not suppressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

USC cancels its main commencement ceremony<\/strong><\/p>\n

The University of Southern California canceled its main commencement ceremony for 2024 graduating students in May, citing \u201cnew safety measures in place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe understand that this is disappointing,\u201d the university said in an announcement on its website.<\/p>\n

The announcement came days after the university\u00a0canceled the commencement speech\u00a0of its Muslim valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, due to what it called security concerns. USC then canceled appearances by prominent speakers and honorees at the May 10 graduation ceremony.<\/p>\n

Encampment forms at University of California, Los Angeles<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Thursday, a \u201cdemonstration with encampments\u201d formed at the University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) in Royce Quad, the university said in a campus activity update.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re actively monitoring this situation to support a safe and peaceful campus environment that respects our community\u2019s right to free expression while minimizing disruption to our teaching and learning mission,\u201d the update read.<\/p>\n

Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA\u00a0posted on Instagram\u00a0an invitation for others to join and said, \u201cWE ARE STAYING UNTIL OUR DEMANDS ARE MET! BE HERE!<\/p>\n

\u201cWe camp in solidarity with Palestine. We refuse to be complicit in this genocidal campaign,\u201d the post read.<\/p>\n

Pro-Palestinian encampment forms at George\u00a0Washington\u00a0University<\/strong><\/p>\n

George Washington University has joined a growing list of schools across the nation where Pro-Palestinian demonstrators are forming encampments on school campuses, according to videos posted by the\u00a0GW Hatchet\u00a0student newspaper.<\/p>\n

Students at multiple universities across the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia organized the encampment, a group representing the coalition of Students for Justice in Palestine\u00a0said in a post on Instagram.<\/p>\n

The encampment is a \u201cunited demonstration of our power, uplifting our collective demands for financial transparency, boycotts and divestment from the Zionist state, and an end to the racist repression pro-Palestine students,\u201d the post read.<\/p>\n

Netanyahu condemns U.S. universities\u2019 campus protests as \u201canti-Semitic\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. university campuses as \u201chorrific\u201d and \u201canti-Semitic\u201d, calling for them to end.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has to be stopped. It has to be condemned and condemned unequivocally,\u201d Netanyahu said in a\u00a0video message\u00a0on X.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u201cThe response of several university presidents was shameful.\u201d\u201d
\nNetanyahu added that while some officials have responded differently, \u201cmore has to be done\u201d in response to the demonstrations.<\/p>\n

Netanyahu said that a rise in anti-Semitism in the U.S. \u201chas terrible consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n

More people around the world believe he and his right-wing government are the reasons for the rise of anti-Israeli apartheid, which he wrongly attributes it as \u201canti-Semitism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s\u00a0foreign\u00a0minister\u00a0slams police response to protests<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Thursday, Iran\u2019s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian expressed \u201cdeep concerns\u201d over the police response to pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. university campuses.<\/p>\n

Amir-Abdollahian criticized the \u201csuppression and harsh treatment\u201d of professors and students by\u00a0police\u00a0in a post on X.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis suppression is in line with Washington\u2019s full-fledged support for the Israeli regime and clearly demonstrates the U.S. government\u2019s double standards and contradictory behavior regarding freedom of speech,\u201d Amir-Abdollahian posted.<\/p>\n

House Speaker Mike Johnson calls on Columbia\u2019s president to resign<\/strong><\/p>\n

House Speaker Mike Johnson called on\u00a0Columbia University President\u00a0Nemat \u201cMinouche\u201d Shafik to resign during a tense\u00a0press conference\u00a0Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The crowd repeatedly interrupted the speaker and booed him and other GOP lawmakers who were with him as they stood at the mics.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just can\u2019t allow this kind of hatred and anti-Semitism to flourish on our campuses, and it must be stopped in its tracks,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThose who are perpetrating this violence should be arrested. I am here today, joining my colleagues and calling on President Shafik to resign if she cannot immediately bring order to this chaos.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, the Columbia University Board of Trustees released a statement saying they strongly support President\u00a0 Shafik.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Columbia University Board of Trustees strongly supports President Shafik as she steers the university through this extraordinarily challenging time,\u201d the board said in a\u00a0statement Wednesday. \u201cDuring the search process for this role, President Shafik told us that she would always take a thoughtful approach to resolving conflict, balancing the disparate voices that make up a vibrant campus like Columbia\u2019s, while taking a firm stance against hatred, harassment and discrimination. That\u2019s exactly what she\u2019s doing now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0The board said it is \u201curgently working\u201d with Shafik to resolve the unrest on campus and \u201crebuild the bonds of our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are the developments at several universities as of Thursday evening (April 25):<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00b0University of Southern California:\u00a0USC canceled its main commencement ceremony for 2024 graduating students in May, citing \u201cnew safety measures in place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00b0Emory University:\u00a0At least two professors were\u00a0 detained during protests on campus. CAIR\u2019s Georgia chapter has condemned the arrests and the NAACP in Georgia has called for a meeting with the university\u2019s president.<\/p>\n

\u00b0Northeastern University:\u00a0An encampment has been formed and dozens of protesters have formed a human chain around tents.<\/p>\n

\u00b0City College of New York:\u00a0The NYPD says it no longer plans to clear the encampment Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u00b0George\u00a0Washington\u00a0University:\u00a0An group of Pro-Palestinian demonstrators has started an encampment on campus representing students from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, organizers and the university confirmed.<\/p>\n

\u00b0Emerson College:\u00a0More than 100 people were arrested and four police officers were injured Wednesday at Emerson college in Boston during a pro-Palestinian protest, according to the Boston Police Department.<\/p>\n

\u00b0Columbia University:\u00a0House Speaker Mike Johnson called on Columbia\u2019s president to resign if she cannot bring order to the campus. While most protests have been non-violent, some Jewish students are worried for their safety, with one Jewish student\u00a0saying\u00a0\u201cthe anti-Semitic comments and activity is running rampant.\u201d Negotiations between protesters and Columbia officials about clearing the encampment on its lawn were\u00a0extended early Wednesday morning for another 48 hours.<\/p>\n

\u00b0University of Southern California:\u00a0Police\u00a0arrested nearly 100 protesters\u00a0at the University of Southern California after a dispersal order.<\/p>\n

\u00b0University of Texas at Austin:\u00a0Following tense resistance, the Texas Department of Public Safety said that\u00a057 arrests\u00a0had been made by law enforcement on the campus.\u00a0A Fox 7 photographer was among those arrested amid the heated clashes, the news outlet said in a\u00a0report. The tally is an overall number of people booked in association with the protest. \u201cWe don\u2019t classify arrestees by whether or not they\u2019re students at the university,\u201d Kristen Dark, a Travis County Sheriff\u2019s office spokesperson told CNN.<\/p>\n

\u00b0Cal Poly Humboldt:\u00a0The California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt\u00a0campus\u00a0will\u00a0remain closed\u00a0through the weekend as protesters, including \u201cunidentified non-students,\u201d continue to occupy two buildings, school officials said in an\u00a0update.<\/p>\n

\u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013<\/p>\n

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. TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY . . An article from The Arab American News College campuses have become breeding grounds for pro-Palestine protests. Student protesters have continued to set up encampments at their universities and display their support for Palestinians and against Israeli aggressions. Students are also demanding that their universities divest from companies that financially … Continue reading Pro-Palestinian protests and encampments sweep campuses of major universities across the United States<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[91,14],"tags":[5],"class_list":["post-34629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-north-america","category-tolerance","tag-north-america"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=34629"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34629\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=34629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=34629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=34629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}