Hundreds of students have been arrested at universities across the United States as protesters continue to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and divestment from companies that would enable Israel’s nearly seven-month war against the Palestinian enclave.
Police were in full force on university campuses Saturday, with some using chemical irritants and Tasers to disperse students, while protests continued at other universities against the continued bombing of the Gaza Strip and calls for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel took place.
In Boston, police arrested about 100 people while clearing a protest camp at Northeastern University. Social media posts showed security forces in riot gear and officers loading tents into the back of a truck.
In a statement to
The school said its move came after “what began as a student demonstration two days ago was infiltrated by professional organizers unaffiliated with Northeastern.” It added that detained people who presented a valid school ID were released and would face disciplinary proceedings rather than legal action.
– Northeastern U (@Northeastern) April 27, 2024
In Bloomington, in the Midwest, the Indiana University Police Department arrested 23 people as they cleared a protest camp on campus, the Indiana Daily Student newspaper reported.
On the other side of the country, the Arizona State University Police Department arrested 69 people for trespassing after the group set up an “unauthorized encampment” on campus.
Arizona State officials said a protest group, “most of whom were not ASU students, faculty or staff,” set up camp Friday and ignored repeated orders to disperse.
Meanwhile, at least 80 people were arrested at Washington University in St. Louis, including US presidential candidate Jill Stein and her campaign manager.
Across the United States, university leaders have tried and largely failed to quell the demonstrations. The police often intervened violently. Videos emerged from various states showing hundreds of students – and even faculty – being violently arrested.
Protesters called for an amnesty for students and faculty members who were punished or fired for their protests. About a week ago, more than 100 pro-Palestinian activists were arrested at Columbia University in New York.
What began on Columbia’s campus has turned into a nationwide showdown between students and administrators over pro-Palestine protests and curbs on free speech. In the past 10 days, hundreds of students have been arrested, suspended, placed on probation and, in rare cases, expelled from colleges including Yale University, the University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University and the University of Minnesota.
Students take “big risks.”
Al Jazeera’s John Hendren reported from Princeton University in New Jersey and said that “the cost of protests can be high for the students occupying campuses.”
“Students are taking great risks in these protests. Violations of university regulations may result in exclusion. And here at Princeton, tuition is over $50,000 a year,” he said. “For many of them, it’s an education they’ve looked forward to their entire lives.”
Princeton student Sam Bisno told Al Jazeera that taking such risks shows how “passionate” students are about the issue. “People are willing to risk everything. But we know our numbers have the power,” he said.
Momodou Taal was among four students “temporarily suspended” from Cornell University in upstate New York on Saturday for setting up an encampment on its campus.
He told Al Jazeera that the protesting students had received threats and were subjected to doxxing, which refers to the publication of a person’s personal information online without their consent. He said such students received no protection from their school.
“We no longer believe that the administration is a safe place for Muslim, Arab, Palestinian and, broadly speaking, students of color and pro-Palestinian students,” Taal said.
Maysam Elghazali, an organizer of the protests at Emory University in Atlanta, said the students demonstrating had three demands.
“First, that Emory discloses all of its financial investments. Secondly, that they divest from all Israeli companies, and thirdly, that they continue to provide amnesty and protection to all students who were wrongfully arrested,” she told Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, college protests against the “genocide” of Palestinians in Gaza have spread to schools in Canada, Europe and Australia.
Canada’s first Gaza campus protest camp took place Saturday at McGill University in Montreal.
The CBC reported that protesters demanded that McGill and Concordia universities “separate funds associated with the Zionist state.” [cut] Ties to Zionist academic institutions.”