Columbia University has begun suspending student demonstrators after they defied an ultimatum to disperse.
The New York University, the epicentre of pro-Palestinian protests that have upended college campuses across the United States, made the call on Monday.
The move follows almost two weeks of protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, which have swept through higher education institutions from coast to coast, and spread into Europe. The demonstrators have demanded that the universities cease all investment in Israel or companies that are seen as supporting its war effort.
The response of the authorities has been tough, with critics of the protests referring to sporadic instances of anti-Semitism. About 100 protesters were arrested at Columbia on April 18.
In the latest crackdown, authorities at the prestigious university in New York had demanded that the protest encampment be cleared by 2pm (18:00 GMT) or students would face disciplinary action.
“These repulsive scare tactics mean nothing compared to the deaths of over 34,000 Palestinians,” said a statement, read out by a student at a news conference after the deadline passed, referring to the death toll in Gaza.
“We will not move until Columbia meets our demands or … [we] are moved by force,” said the student.
A few hours later, Columbia vice president of communications, Ben Chang, said the university had “begun suspending students as part of this next phase of our efforts to ensure safety on our campus”.
He said students had been warned they would be “placed on suspension, ineligible to complete the semester or graduate, and will be restricted from all academic, residential, and recreational spaces”.
Meanwhile, at the University of Texas in Austin, police used pepper spray as they clashed with protesters on Monday. Arrests were made as they dismantled an encampment, adding to the more than 350 people detained nationwide over the weekend.
“No encampments will be allowed,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on social media. “Instead, arrests are being made.”
Protests against the Gaza war, with its high Palestinian civilian death toll, have posed a challenge to university administrators trying to balance free speech rights with complaints that the rallies have veered into anti-Semitism and hate.
Footage of police in riot gear summoned at various colleges to break up rallies has been viewed around the world, recalling the protest movement that erupted during the Vietnam War.
Columbia University president, Minouche Shafik, in a statement on Monday announcing talks had broken down, said, “Many of our Jewish students, and other students as well, have found the atmosphere intolerable in recent weeks.
“Many have left campus, and that is a tragedy,” she continued. “Anti-Semitic language and actions are unacceptable and calls for violence are simply abhorrent.”
Protest organisers deny accusations of anti-Semitism, arguing their actions are aimed at Israel’s government and its prosecution of the conflict in Gaza.
They also insist there have been incidents engineered by non-student agitators.
Over 100 arrested at UT-Austin amid pro-Palestinian protest
Xinhua from Houston reports:
More than 100 people were arrested as police and pro-Palestinian protesters clashed on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) on Monday afternoon, local media reported, citing Travis County officials.
The officials said the charges could include resisting arrest and assault.
"I have seen two people violently arrested," a protester told Xinhua, asking for anonymity.
At least three people passed out from dehydration and were transported to the hospital during the protest, another witness said.
The rally started as an event on recent "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion" layoffs at the university, and anti-war protesters joined at noon time. Dozens of protesters, chanting "Free Palestine," were attempting to set up an encampment using foldable tables, tents and other barriers on the campus's South Mall park.
Shortly after the rally started, the UT Police Department posted a dispersal order on social media, demanding everyone leave the rally area immediately.
Around 1:30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT), police moved in to clear people out of the area by force. Police also reportedly used pepper spray to disperse crowds.
Protesters could be heard chanting, "There is no riot here, why are you in riot gear?"
"What brought me out today was seeing the response against students here who are peacefully protesting. I find it absurd that the state and local police departments have come down upon UT Austin and arrested students and protestors for peacefully protesting," Elliott Benavides, a student with UT Austin, told Xinhua.
"I'm a faculty at UT Austin, we are here on behalf of our students who are no longer safe on this campus because the University administration insists on calling in the police every time the students gather to voice their opinions," said Pavithra Vasudevan, a university faculty member.
UT Austin spokesperson Brian Davis said in a statement on Monday that "protesters ignored repeated directives from both the administration and law enforcement officers to comply with Institutional Rules and remove tents assembled on the University's South Lawn."
The university last week placed the Palestine Solidarity Committee, a registered student group that organized last week's protest in which 57 people were arrested, on interim suspension. The committee said on Monday that it was not involved in organizing the event but is supportive of the protesters.
"No encampments will be allowed. Instead, arrests are being made." Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, on Monday afternoon.
All charges against the 57 protesters arrested last week have been dropped, the Travis County attorney's office confirmed on Friday.
In Houston, a number of students at Rice University and the University of Houston also joined the nationwide efforts involving students in pro-Palestinian protests on Wednesday.
From Texas to California, pro-Palestinian demonstrations are spreading on campuses across the United States as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in Gaza continues. To date, hundreds have been arrested by police amid student protests.
Columbia suspends students after deadline to end Gaza camp passes
///The number of arrests has crossed 1,100 since New York police detained first demonstrators at Columbia on April 18.
Columbia University has begun suspending student demonstrators after they defied an ultimatum to disperse.
The New York University, the epicentre of pro-Palestinian protests that have upended college campuses across the United States, made the call on Monday.
The move follows almost two weeks of protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, which have swept through higher education institutions from coast to coast, and spread into Europe. The demonstrators have demanded that the universities cease all investment in Israel or companies that are seen as supporting its war effort.
The response of the authorities has been tough, with critics of the protests referring to sporadic instances of anti-Semitism. About 100 protesters were arrested at Columbia on April 18.
In the latest crackdown, authorities at the prestigious university in New York had demanded that the protest encampment be cleared by 2pm (18:00 GMT) or students would face disciplinary action.
“These repulsive scare tactics mean nothing compared to the deaths of over 34,000 Palestinians,” said a statement, read out by a student at a news conference after the deadline passed, referring to the death toll in Gaza.
“We will not move until Columbia meets our demands or … [we] are moved by force,” said the student.
A few hours later, Columbia vice president of communications, Ben Chang, said the university had “begun suspending students as part of this next phase of our efforts to ensure safety on our campus”.
He said students had been warned they would be “placed on suspension, ineligible to complete the semester or graduate, and will be restricted from all academic, residential, and recreational spaces”.
Meanwhile, at the University of Texas in Austin, police used pepper spray as they clashed with protesters on Monday. Arrests were made as they dismantled an encampment, adding to the more than 350 people detained nationwide over the weekend.
“No encampments will be allowed,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on social media. “Instead, arrests are being made.”
Protests against the Gaza war, with its high Palestinian civilian death toll, have posed a challenge to university administrators trying to balance free speech rights with complaints that the rallies have veered into anti-Semitism and hate.
Footage of police in riot gear summoned at various colleges to break up rallies has been viewed around the world, recalling the protest movement that erupted during the Vietnam War.
Columbia University president, Minouche Shafik, in a statement on Monday announcing talks had broken down, said, “Many of our Jewish students, and other students as well, have found the atmosphere intolerable in recent weeks.
“Many have left campus, and that is a tragedy,” she continued. “Anti-Semitic language and actions are unacceptable and calls for violence are simply abhorrent.”
Protest organisers deny accusations of anti-Semitism, arguing their actions are aimed at Israel’s government and its prosecution of the conflict in Gaza.
They also insist there have been incidents engineered by non-student agitators.
