Protests ignited across elite US universities as tensions over the Gaza conflict escalate, prompting authorities to crack down on demonstrations.
At New York University (NYU), police dispersed demonstrators and made multiple arrests, while Yale University witnessed dozens of students being apprehended earlier in the day. Columbia University took preemptive action by canceling in-person classes amidst the unrest.
Amid concerns of rising antisemitism, the White House has condemned incidents tarnishing some protests.
Since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza conflict in October, US campuses have become battlegrounds for impassioned debates on free speech and the conflict’s complexities, leading to a surge in both antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents, according to students.
President Joe Biden, addressing the rallies, denounced both antisemitic protests and those lacking understanding of the Palestinian perspective.
The movement gained momentum following a significant crackdown at Columbia University, where over 100 demonstrators were arrested by New York City police last week.
The protests have now spread to various campuses including the University of California at Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Michigan, Emerson College, and Tufts University, as students continue to voice their solidarity and concerns over the Gaza conflict.
