Dozens Arrested at US Campuses During Pro-Palestinian Protests Over Gaza Conflict

According to reports, students have been arrested on multiple campuses over the weekend, with a total of 275 people detained across four different institutions. The arrests include 100 at Northeastern University in Boston, 80 at Washington University, and 72 at Arizona State University. While some protesters have expressed concerns about anti-Israel sentiment and antisemitic activity, others argue that their demands are focused on ending the conflict and holding companies accountable for profiting from it.

The recent protests on university campuses in the United States and Türkiye have garnered significant attention, with students demanding divestment from companies supporting Israel's war on Gaza. The protests have been met with force by police, resulting in arrests and injuries. Universities such as Columbia and Emerson College have seen intense clashes between protesters and law enforcement, with over 100 arrests reported at each institution. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused "antisemitic mobs" of taking over universities, while US universities have issued a joint statement expressing support for the student protesters.

The protests have also seen instances of violence, including an assault on a Jewish student journalist at Yale University who was stabbed in the eye with a Palestinian flag while reporting on an anti-Israeli protest. Despite this, hundreds of Harvard affiliates gathered to demonstrate against the suspension of the Palestine Solidarity Committee and calls for universities to sever financial ties with companies linked to Israel.

The situation has led to increased tensions on several US campuses, with police intervening at Yale University by escorting protesters' wrists into zip ties. Other universities, such as Tufts and Emerson, are weighing how to handle similar encampments. Some have expressed concerns about campus safety, citing anti-Semitic incidents. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian protesters argue that the US is complicit in Israeli violence against Palestinians.

A series of pro-Palestinian demonstrations have taken place at Columbia and Yale Universities in response to the escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At both institutions, demonstrators set up encampments on campus lawns, resulting in numerous arrests. Specifically, over 100 students were arrested at Columbia last week for refusing to leave, leading the university to announce that classes would be held remotely. Similarly, more than 45 protesters were arrested at Yale on Monday for blocking traffic and trespassing. The protests began in response to Israel's fierce response in the Gaza enclave controlled by Hamas. Tensions have been high at these elite universities since the October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel.