Amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, prestigious U.S. universities are facing campus tensions as pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel students clash. On Monday, Columbia University canceled in-person classes after over 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators were arrested last week. New York University arrested dozens of protesters after an encampment set up by students grew in size and became disorderly. Harvard Yard was closed to the public, and Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee was suspended. At Yale, 45 protesters were arrested for trespassing. Amidst the protests, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik said she was “deeply saddened” and announced that all classes would be held virtually on Monday. In a statement to the campus community, Yale President Peter Salovey said university officials had spoken to the student protesters multiple times about the school’s policies and guidelines, including those regarding speech and allowing access to campus spaces. MIT students have also set up an encampment protest, calling for a cease-fire and protesting what they describe as MIT’s “complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”
The protests have pitted students against one another, with pro-Palestinian students demanding that their schools condemn Israel’s assault on Gaza and divest from companies that sell weapons to Israel. Some Jewish students, meanwhile, say much of the criticism of Israel has veered into antisemitism and made them feel unsafe. University presidents are urging students to de-escalate tensions and maintain a safe and inclusive campus.
