Amidst the ongoing pro-Palestine protests across multiple US universities in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Gaza, a video emerged that has drawn attention to the confusion and lack of awareness among some protesters. The video, shared on Twitter by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, features two protesters at New York University (NYU) who appear to be uncertain about the purpose of their demonstration.
When asked about her primary goal for participating in the protests, one protester candidly admitted, “Honestly, I don’t know what NYU is doing.” Turning to her companion, she inquired, “Do you know what NYU is doing?” The second protester replied with regret, “I wish I was more educated.”
The first protester explained that she had come to NYU from Columbia University, where the US university protests had initially gained momentum, after being informed that NYU students needed their support. She added that she had heard reports of a heavy police presence and concerns about the situation becoming dangerous.
Rudy Giuliani, 79, who visited Columbia University on Tuesday, April 23rd, expressed his disapproval of the protesters, labeling them as “terribly misguided people.” He made a sarcastic remark about the rivalry between Columbia and Harvard, both of which have witnessed extensive protests, suggesting that Columbia was attempting to surpass Harvard in “Jewish hatred.”
On Monday, April 22nd, approximately 133 protesters were detained during pro-Palestine demonstrations at New York University, according to The Associated Press. University leaders had summoned law enforcement after reporting that the protesters had breached school barricades and engaged in “disorderly, disruptive, and antagonizing” behavior, as per The New York Times. The encampments dispersed within approximately 30 minutes of the police intervention.
The ongoing US university protests intensified on Wednesday following a series of arrests at various universities. Videos circulating on social media captured police officers arriving on horseback at the University of Texas’s Austin campus to quell chaotic demonstrations. Approximately 200 students were engaged in protests when the police were called to the scene.
Meanwhile, police employed batons to disperse demonstrations at the University of Southern California. A Palestinian student organizer was temporarily detained but was later released. Similar protests have been reported at Harvard University, Yale University, and Brown University, among others.
The protesting students have expressed solidarity with Palestine and criticized US President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict. They have also called for universities to divest their assets from Israel and have sought to pressure the Biden administration to intervene and curb Israeli airstrikes on Palestinian targets.
