New York, 7 May 2024, (GNP): Pro-Palestine protesters, who had been blocked by police from accessing an encampment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have broken through fencing, linked arms, and encircled the remaining tents.
Sam Ihns, a graduate student at MIT studying mechanical engineering and a member of MIT Jews for a Ceasefire, mentioned that the group had occupied the encampment for the preceding two weeks. They aimed to halt the violence causing the deaths of thousands in Gaza.
“Specifically, our encampment is protesting MIT’s direct research ties to the Israeli Ministry of Defence,” he said on Monday.
During rush hour in the Boston area, protesters further demonstrated by sitting in the middle of Massachusetts Avenue, obstructing the street.
This action followed Columbia University’s decision to cancel its May 15th graduation ceremony due to security worries. Meanwhile, other institutions like the University of Michigan, Indiana University, and Northeastern managed to hold their ceremonies with minimal disruptions.
Columbia had already shifted to online classes. Over 200 pro-Palestinian protesters, who had camped on Columbia’s green or occupied an academic building, were arrested in recent weeks.
Similar protests emerged at other universities, posing challenges in balancing free expression with campus safety and inclusivity. The University of Southern California also canceled its main graduation ceremony.
At USC, students dismantled their camp on Sunday following police intervention and threats of arrest.
Heated graduation
At the University of Michigan, graduation proceedings faced interruptions from chanting several times on Saturday, despite heightened security measures.
In Boston, at Northeastern University’s commencement in Fenway Park on Sunday, some students waved small Palestinian or Israeli flags.
Emory University’s ceremonies, set for May 13, will take place at the GasSouth Arena and Convocation Center in Duluth, approximately 30 kilometers northeast of the Atlanta campus, as announced by President Gregory Fenves in an open letter.
At the University of California, San Diego, police dispersed an encampment and detained over 64 individuals, including 40 students.
Meanwhile, the University of California, Los Angeles, transitioned all classes online for the entire week due to ongoing disruptions following the dismantling of an encampment last week.
UCLA spokesperson Eddie North-Hager mentioned that the university police reported 44 arrests, but specific details were not provided.
Schools are employing diverse approaches, ranging from appeasement to threats of disciplinary measures, in efforts to persuade protesters to dismantle encampments or relocate to areas on campus where demonstrations would be less disruptive.
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The School of the Art Institute of Chicago said in a Meta post on Sunday that it offered protesters “amnesty from academic sanction and trespassing charges” if they moved.
“Many protesters left the premises of their own accord after being notified by the police that they were trespassing and subject to arrest,” the school said.
“Those that remained were arrested after multiple warnings to leave, including some of whom we recognised as SAIC students.”
At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a group of faculty and staff members requested amnesty from the administration for any students arrested and suspended during recent protests.
UNC Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine, in a media advisory, announced their intention to deliver a letter representing over 500 supportive faculty to advocate for the student activists.
In contrast, Harvard University’s interim president, Alan Garber, cautioned students participating in a pro-Palestine encampment in Harvard Yard, warning of potential “involuntary leave.” This could entail being barred from campus, losing student housing, and facing difficulties taking exams, Garber explained.