NEW YORK, April 25: In a series of clashes between students and authorities, protests advocating for Palestine on university campuses across the United States have escalated into scenes of confrontation and arrests.
At the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, a peaceful demonstration turned chaotic as campus security dismantled tents set up by students. Subsequently, a large contingent of police officers, armed with batons and wearing helmets, moved in to arrest protesters. Despite claims of threats to safety by university officials, Al Jazeera correspondent Rob Reynolds reported that the protest remained peaceful, with students engaging in a sit-in.
Similar incidents unfolded at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where students defied university warnings and erected encampments. The New York Times reported that despite threats of disciplinary action, students at these institutions continued their protests, demanding divestment from Israel and the reinstatement of a pro-Palestine student group.
At Columbia University in New York, tensions simmered as the university engaged in talks with protesting students. Last week, over 100 students were arrested when police cleared an encampment, prompting Republican House Speaker Johnson to call for the university president’s resignation if order was not restored swiftly.
While concerns about anti-Semitism have been raised by some politicians, protesters have defended their right to peaceful assembly and free speech. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated President Biden’s support for free speech and nondiscrimination on college campuses, emphasizing the importance of debate and academic freedom.
As tensions persist and negotiations continue, the demonstrations underscore a deepening divide on US campuses over issues of Middle East politics and the rights of Palestinian students.
