Washington, 25 April 2023, (GNP): Law enforcement authorities are clamping down on protests at UT Austin and USC, while students at Harvard and Brown are establishing encampments in opposition to Israel’s conflict with Gaza.
Dozens of demonstrators were apprehended by law enforcement in the US at UT Austin and USC during student-led protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, which have escalated nationwide. House Speaker Mike Johnson hinted at the possibility of deploying the National Guard.
On Wednesday, arrests occurred in Austin and Los Angeles as students at Harvard University and Brown University on the East Coast proceeded to establish encampments in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, despite facing threats of intervention.
The movement, which originated at Columbia University in New York last week, is urging universities to severe financial connections with Israel and withdraw investments from companies they believe are supporting its aggressive actions in Gaza.
Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli strikes in the besieged enclave have claimed the lives of at least 34,262 Palestinians.
Protests and encampments at US college campuses in solidarity with Gaza
1: Harvard University, Emerson College, Boston University, MIT, Tufts University
2: Brown University
3: Columbia University
4: University of Pittsburgh
5: Yale University
6: UMBC
7: Georgetown University, George Washington University, American University
8: Princeton University
9: UNC Chapel Hill
10: UNC Charlotte
11: Emory University
12: Vanderbilt
13: University of Michigan
14: Ohio State University
15: Northwestern University
16: Washington University
17: University of Minnesota
18: The University of Texas at Dallas
19: The University of Texas at Arlington
20: The University of Texas at Austin
21: Rice University
22The University of Texas at San Antonio
23University of New Mexico
24UC Berkeley Stanford University
25California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt
At Wednesday a significant demonstration at UT Austin was witnessed where hundreds of students participated in a walkout and proceeded to the main campus lawn with plans to establish an encampment.
Also Read: Significance of multilateralism and diplomacy for peace highlighted
However, the university administration stated its intolerance towards disruptions and enlisted local and state law enforcement to disperse the assembled crowds.
Subsequently, a large number of officers, some mounted on horses, wielding batons, intervened and forcefully apprehended multiple students.
The Texas Department of Public Safety reported at least 34 individuals were detained.
Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, advocated for the incarceration of the protesters, particularly condemning those he deemed involved in what he labeled as “hate-filled, anti-Semitic protests,” suggesting their expulsion from the university.
Jeremi Suri, a Jewish professor of history at UT Austin, contested the characterization of the protests as anti-Semitic, asserting there was no basis for such claims.
“These students were shouting ‘free Palestine’, that’s all,” he said. “They were saying nothing that was threatening. And as they were standing and shouting, I witnessed the police – the state police, the campus police, the city police – an army of police almost the size as the student group … many were carrying guns, many were carrying rifles, and then, within a few minutes, this group of police stormed into the student crowd and started arresting students.”
At the USC campus in Los Angeles, students’ attempts to establish an encampment were met with resistance. Campus security engaged in altercations with students while dismantling tents, and subsequently, a contingent of police officers equipped with batons and helmets intervened, arresting protesters amidst the presence of hovering helicopters.
This crackdown followed a campus-wide email from USC Provost Andrew Guzman, citing concerns over the safety of campus offices and the community due to the protesters’ actions.
However, Al Jazeera’s reporter, reporting from the scene, emphasized the peaceful nature of the protest against the Gaza conflict, noting the absence of confrontations or harassment among the students. Reynolds also mentioned that some students later engaged in a sit-in, linking arms as a form of demonstration.
Johnson, the Republican speaker of the US House, made a visit to the campus to express solidarity with Jewish students amidst worries about anti-Semitism. He urged Columbia President Nemat Shafik to step down if she cannot restore order to the situation.
Speaking to the media near the encampment on the library steps, Johnson warned that if the situation escalates further and threats of intimidation persist, there may come a time when the intervention of the National Guard becomes necessary.
Johnson expressed his intention to urge US President Joe Biden to take action and cautioned that the demonstrations could endanger Jewish students in the United States. Nearby protesters seemed unfazed by his remarks.
Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student at Columbia who participated in negotiations with the university administration regarding the protests, expressed regret over the lack of attention on their peaceful movement, emphasizing the importance of academic freedom and freedom of speech.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre affirmed Biden’s support for free speech, debate, and nondiscrimination on college campuses, highlighting their significance.