As college students demand divestment from Israel and take up other pro-Palestine causes on campuses around the country, police crackdowns have followed in quick succession. Last week, Columbia University president Minouche Shafik allowed the NYPD onto campus last week to arrest students at the school’s Gaza Solidarity Encampment; since then, similar encampments have cropped up at many colleges and universities, despite universities’ efforts to dismantle them. Below, updates on where the protest movement is spreading and how the sometimes-violent backlash is playing out.
University of Georgia
At the University of Georgia in Athens, demonstrators set up an encampment in support of Palestine on Monday April 29, only for law enforcement to arrest over a dozen students hours later:
Northwestern University
While there were no arrests at Northwestern University north of Chicago, the school and its divestment encampment been in talks to deescalate the situation on campus. On Monday, the university unveiled a plan that could serve as a template for other colleges. The Daily Northwestern reports:
The University agreed to permit protests and gatherings in support of Palestine [on campus] through June 1, the final day of spring quarter classes. The permit will require that only NU students, faculty and staff be allowed in the demonstration area, unless otherwise authorized by the University, and may require a Wildcard ID.
In exchange, the Northwestern Divestment Coalition, who organized the encampment effort, will commit to leaving only one aid tent on the lawn. Though students will still be able to organize under a permit granted by NU, they will use only approved devices to project or amplify sound. Previously scheduled events must be able to proceed, the University said.
Northeastern University, Boston
On Saturday morning, police cleared an encampment of protesters which was set up on Thursday on the Centennial Common at Northeastern, with the demonstrators calling for a cease fire in Gaza and for the university to divest from its financial ties with Israel. Police arrested 100 people, but there were no reports of violence. The university said anyone with with a valid school ID was immediately released, and that it decided to clear the encampment due to the arrival of outside agitators and the use of hate speech:
What began as a student demonstration two days ago, was infiltrated by professional organizers with no affiliation to Northeastern. Last night, the use of virulent antisemitic slurs, including “Kill the Jews,” crossed the line. We cannot tolerate this kind of hate on our campus.
However, according to a local reporter, it was a counter-protester who shouted “kill the Jews” — not someone in the encampment — and he was immediately booed by the pro-Palestine protesters:
Reached for comment, a university spokesperson defended the decision to clear the encampment, insisting that context didn’t matter:
The fact that the phrase ‘Kill the Jews’ was shouted on our campus is not in dispute. The Boston Globe, a trusted news organization, reported it as fact. There is also substantial video evidence. Any suggestion that repulsive antisemitic comments are sometimes acceptable depending on the context is reprehensible.
That language has no place on any university campus.
Indiana University and Ohio State University
More than 30 students were arrested at Indiana University late on Thursday, and a dozen were arrested at Ohio State University. At both schools, students claimed there were snipers stationed on campus rooftops, though the Ohio State administration stated that these were state police officers working as spotters, which the school also employs during football games.
Emory University
Some of the most violent crackdowns took place at Emory University in Atlanta on Thursday, where videos showed police bringing students to the ground to detain them; a total of 28 people were arrested. Students, who were also protesting the university’s involvement in a police-training facility known as “Cop City,” allege that police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. One clip shows police Tasing a student who is already handcuffed and on the ground:
Among those arrested was the chair of Emory’s philosophy department:
Emerson College
Over 100 people were arrested early on Thursday morning at Emerson College, where a student encampment had been in place since Sunday in an alley on Boylston Street at the edge of campus. Prior to raiding the camp, the Boston Police Department informed students that they were violating city laws around camping on city streets. Students attempted to stop the police in riot gear, leading to police “dragging people out,” according to one Emerson student who spoke with CBS News. BPD states that four officers were injured in the process.
University of Southern California
The LAPD arrested 93 demonstrators for trespassing on Wednesday at the University of Southern California — not usually a hotbed of protest — where students had set up an encampment. After the arrests, USC became the first major school to cancel its main graduation ceremony this year.
Protesters then reestablished an encampment on Saturday night, and the university again vowed to clear it, citing incidents of vandalism and harassment which it linked to the protest.
University of Texas
At the University of Texas at Austin, state police on horseback and in riot gear arrested more than 50 protesters on Wednesday. A photographer for the local Fox affiliate was also arrested in the chaos:
The demonstrations grew in size after cops cracked down, not an uncommon ocurrence:
On Friday, the Travis County attorney’s office said it would drop criminal trespassing charges against all 57 people officers had detained. KUT reports that those arrested will not be allowed back on campus for the remainder of the school year. As of Monday, police in riot gear were still on campus:
New York University
When the NYPD broke up an encampment at NYU on Monday night, they arrested more than 100 students and almost 20 professors. Soon after, NYU set up a large plywood barricade to block access to the former encampment area in Gould Plaza on West 4th Street.
After the arrests, the dean of students at NYU reportedly emailed at least one student who was detained to offer support “processing this distressing experience.” The email also stated that the school recognizes “that you might not be ready to connect or find it helpful — and that is okay.”
