Sanitation workers in New York City removed tents and other gear left behind after the New York Police Department dispersed an anti-Israel encampment. The encampment at the University of Oregon mirrored similar protests at other universities across the country, with students demanding university divestment from Israel. More than 100 tents were erected, but university president Karl Scholz rejected the protesters’ demands, stating that the encampment violated university policy.
Meanwhile, a video posted by Free Palestine Eugene and the UO Palestine Coalition revealed a message from Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib encouraging the protesters to continue their actions. Tlaib’s support for these protests has drawn criticism, as she has a history of sympathizing with antisemitic causes and has refused to condemn antisemitism at such gatherings.
Tlaib has also criticized university administrations for cracking down on student protests, even taking part in an anti-Israel protest at the University of Michigan. The ongoing protests have seen anti-Israel supporters call for an intifada, or uprising, and for the destruction of Israel, resulting in thousands of arrests. Negotiations between the University of Oregon and the protesters are reportedly ongoing, with no clear timeline for their removal.
