Protests in solidarity with Palestinians and against Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas have escalated across college campuses in the United States, leading to clashes with police, arrests, and growing tensions. At the University of Texas at Austin, dozens of local police and state troopers formed a line to prevent students from marching through the campus, eventually clashing with the protesters and detaining multiple people. A similar confrontation occurred at the University of Southern California, where police removed several tents and engaged in a tug-of-war with protesters over others. Harvard University restricted access to Harvard Yard and required permission for tents and tables, but protesters still set up a camp with 14 tents after a rally against the university’s suspension of the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee. Columbia University extended negotiations with protesters and agreed to a reduced number of tents at their encampment, while protesters at Yale University and New York University faced arrests. The demonstrations demand that schools cut financial ties to Israel and divest from companies enabling its conflict, with some Jewish students expressing concerns about antisemitism. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson planned to meet with Jewish students to address these concerns, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the response of several university presidents and called for intervention from state, local, and federal officials. Universities are struggling to maintain a balance between campus safety and free speech rights, with some resorting to heavy-handed discipline citing safety concerns. The escalation of protests has left many students hiding their identities and fearing retribution from the university, highlighting the complex and challenging nature of these demonstrations.
Protests Escalate on College Campuses Over Israel-Hamas Conflict, Sparking Arrests and Tensions
