US universities rocked by pro-Palestinian protests

US universities rocked by pro-Palestinian protests

Apr 27 - Several US universities are now abuzz with pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests. A boycott of companies and individuals associated with Israel is called for.

1,200 Israelis were killed in an attack by Hamas inside Israel on October 7, and as a result, more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's attack on Gaza. In such a context, the tension in the universities is increasing gradually.

This type of protest first started at Columbia University. Since then, protests have erupted in other places as well.

Protesting students have been arrested at various campuses in Los Angeles, California and Atlanta.

In Austin, Texas, the governor has ordered troopers to arrest protesters.

Anti-Israel protests are currently taking place at more than 25 universities in the United States.

Columbia University

The first major demonstration on behalf of the Palestinians took place at Columbia University. Columbia University is one of the universities accused of anti-Semitism.

Last week, more than 100 protesters were arrested after Columbia University's president asked them to leave the campus. The university president had to face several questions in Congress about allegations of anti-Semitism on university campuses. He then requested to remove the protestors from the campus. The arrests at Columbia University fueled the protests.

Among those detained is the daughter of Ilhan Omar, representative of the Democratic Party in the United States. Ilhan Omar told the BBC that the protest was started by a handful of students. But after the arrest, it spread quickly.

"Only 70 students started this protest," Ilhan Omar told BBC News.

"Because Columbia University decided to arrest them and violate the First Amendment of the Constitution, it has spread nationally and internationally," said Ilhan Omar.

Emory University

On Thursday morning in Atlanta, some protesters came to the Emory University campus and sat down in tents. They are not affiliated with the university.

Authorities say the outsiders were later joined by members of the university community. Some protesters were taken into police custody when they refused to leave.

The university authorities did not clarify the number of those detained and what kind of trial they will face.

University of Southern California

Authorities at the University of Southern California have canceled a student's speech at the commencement ceremony there by a student who has achieved good results at the university. Later, the commencement ceremony to be held on May 10 has also been cancelled. In American universities, commencement is a ceremony held to honor graduates.

After the cancellation of the commencement ceremony, there was intense anger on the campus. 65 thousand people were supposed to participate in that event.

The university's top student, known as the valedictorian, made an anti-Israel post on the website. This student is a Muslim. This post is being accused of being anti-Semitic.

University authorities say it has been canceled due to threats to campus security. 

However, the authorities did not condemn the student's post.

But the decision angered both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel students.

Students protesting on behalf of Palestine are demanding that the student be given the opportunity to speak. On the other hand, those who are in favor of Israel say that the university authorities should condemn this post. Los Angeles police were called in on Wednesday and arrested 93 people.

Georgetown University

Police say 57 people were arrested Wednesday night at the University of Texas at Austin. Troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety were seen in uniform pushing back protesters on their bikes.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is a member of the Republican Party. He called in the Public Safety Department troopers. He wrote on the social media platform 'X' that the protesters were anti-Semitic and demanded their expulsion. Democrats are complaining that the governor is using the mass arrest issue to fuel his campaign.

The Texas National Guard denied in a statement that it had mobilized troops to make arrests on campus. “The Texas National Guard was aware of yesterday's protest at the University of Texas and was prepared to respond to the situation. No troops were sent to campus during the protest," a statement from the Texas Military Department said.

New York University

Last Monday, some protesters immediately pulled up tents on New York University's Manhattan campus. Police arrested 120 people from there. Four of them have been charged with trespassing.

Harvard University

On Wednesday, a group of students started a protest by setting up temporary tents on the campus of Harvard University. Earlier, university authorities suspended the activities of the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee. However, the president of Harvard refused to call the police to disperse the protesters.

Other universities

Protests have taken place in at least 24 other universities across the United States. Besides, some high schools also protested.

108 people were arrested at Emerson University in Boston on Thursday morning. As a result, the university had to cancel classes. Four police officers were injured during the protest.

At Yale University in Connecticut, 48 people were arrested on Wednesday, but there are still protests there. All but four of those arrested are students at Yale University.

Seattle high school students walked out of classrooms Tuesday to protest the war. 

Meanwhile, high school students in New Jersey organized a walkout on Friday. New Jersey school authorities have issued strict warnings for students not to attend.-BBC