New York’s Columbia University began suspending students who did not end protests against Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip by Monday’s ultimatum. The university has also decided to close the campus until further notice. Only people living in the dormitories and employees will be able to enter the space. This was reported by a spokesman for a prestigious university whose pro-Palestinian students inspired protests at universities across the United States. The most dramatic situation was on Monday night at the University of Texas at Austin, where protesters clashed with police officers who detained dozens of them. Police also clashed with protesters at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond after a crowd occupied the library building.
Hundreds of students remained on the Columbia University campus in Manhattan after an afternoon ultimatum, according to the AP agency, on Monday, expressing their disapproval of the allegedly pro-Israel approach of the school’s management. According to videos on social media, protesters even broke into Hamilton Hall, barricaded themselves in it and hung a Palestinian flag from a window. Institute spokesman Ben Chang said the school had begun suspending students who disobeyed the call to evacuate the campus. According to him, the university recognizes freedom of expression, but their protests are a “noisy disturbance” of the peace needed to prepare for the ongoing final exams.
The school has offered the chance to finish the academic year to those protesting students who sign a pledge to abide by the school’s rules until next June or until graduation, whichever comes first. Mahmoud Khalil, the chief negotiator of the protesting students, called the ultimatum set for Monday at 14:00 (20:00 CEST) just “another intimidation” by the university.
Columbia University has closed its campus in response to ongoing student protests. Only students living in the dorms and employees performing essential activities will be allowed to enter the campus, The New York Times (NYT) reports, citing the university’s Department of Public Safety. The restriction is to remain in force “until circumstances permit a change”. The school has already introduced distance learning.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the White House is closely monitoring the growing protests at American universities. “The president (Joe Biden) believes that taking over buildings on college campuses by force is the wrong approach. This is not an example of peaceful protest,” he added. Although the president can order the deployment of the National Guard, no such action is being considered for Columbia University at this time, Kirby added, according to Reuters.
Clashes with police reported in Texas
At the University of Texas, a group of protesters surrounded police officers and a van carrying several earlier detainees; the police used pepper spray and blinding grenades against them. In total, according to the authorities, they detained 40 people.
The demonstrations reflect the strong disapproval of many young Americans with the way Israel is conducting an offensive against the Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which it launched after the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas and its allies on October 7 last year. The protesting students are demanding that the schools cut off business ties and investments that are in any way connected to Israel, and are calling for an end to the killing of Palestinian civilians.
The demonstrations are mostly peaceful, but the management of a number of schools consider them too disruptive, while some Jewish students report that they are accompanied by anti-Semitism and make them feel unsafe. The protests also attract outside activists who further inflame passions.
Tags: #Supporters #Palestine #occupy #buildings Columbia University #closed campus
