Hundreds of students have been arrested by local and national police in recent days during rallies against the Israel-Hamas war on many US college and university campuses.
Universities, notably the University of California (UCLA), have canceled classes at the major graduation ceremony, switched to remote classes, and announced campus limitations.
Pro-Palestinian protests intensify on US universities.
Here are the 10 essential updates on where things now stand:
- The University of California, Los Angeles, became a flashpoint of conflict as a pro-Palestinian protest turned violent, resulting in 15 injuries and hospitalization. UCLA canceled many classes and opted for remote instruction.
- The New York Police Department (NYPD) has been actively arresting demonstrators, with over 300 arrests recorded at Fordham University, Columbia University, and the City College of New York. The police are staying on campus.
- On Wednesday, New York City authorities cleared up a tent encampment at Fordham University.
- The University of Wisconsin at Madison reported 34 arrests, including several academics, after an anti-Gaza war rally that injured four officers.
- Seventeen activists were arrested for criminal trespassing on the University of Texas at Dallas campus.
- Following the protests on Tuesday night, police arrested 24 people, the most of whom were students, at Northern Arizona University.
- Students at Portland State University remained besieged inside the library, attempting to prolong the two-day power outage. The university cancelled classes for Wednesday.
- The protests have resulted in the cancellation of commencements, a move to remote classes, and restricted campus access, all of which have impacted the academic schedule.
- Columbia University academics have sided with the student protests, condemning the police’s tactics on campus. Professor Rashid Khalidi condemned the school administrators’ handling of the protests, saying they will “go down in infamy.”
- Institutions such as Brown and Northwestern have responded to protester demands by promising to examine divesting from corporations that do business with Israel, demonstrating a willingness to deal with student concerns.
UCLA Vice-Chancellor Mary Osako stated she was “sickened” by the “acts of violence.”
According to United Nations Director Louis Charbonneau, “there have been troubling reports of antisemitic incidents in and around Columbia University’s campus.”
“Allegations of antisemitic acts and speech by individuals, as well as acts of Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination, should be investigated and addressed on the merits in a case-by-case basis, through fair and transparent processes.”