Pro-Palestinian demonstrations at a number of universities across the United States continue. Students and activists are protesting Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip and demanding that schools cut off business ties and investments that are in any way connected to Israel. CNN reports on the protests.
Meanwhile, some universities have appealed to their students to leave the campuses where they are protesting. Demonstrators at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill campus did not heed calls, prompting police to arrive. Officers handcuffed some individuals while keeping others off campus.
UNC management said in a statement that the situation had begun to escalate in recent days. “During the events of the last few weeks, students followed our rules. That changed on Sunday evening, when protesters – including outside activists – backed away from their commitment to uphold these policies,” the school’s management said.
For example, students broke into classrooms at night. A similar situation exists at several other schools, Columbia University threatens students with conditional expulsion. However, this did not stop protesting youth and activists from occupying Hamilton Hall. They then put up banners reading “Intifada”, which is the Arabic term for uprising.
Columbia University therefore urged “members of the university community” to avoid visiting the Morningside campus, where Hamilton Hall is located, on Tuesday if possible.
There were also clashes with police at the University of Texas at Austin. There, a group of students and activists surrounded police officers and a van that was supposed to be transporting several detained protesters. Police officers used pepper spray and stun grenades against the students. In total, according to the authorities, they detained 40 people.
Student demonstrations in support of Palestine are not only taking place in the United States. There were also protests in France and Australia.
Tags: ProPalestinian demonstrations American universities gaining momentum
