A peaceful rally by pro-Palestinian students at USC escalated into chaos when campus police intervened to prevent the establishment of an encampment in Alumni Park. The incident occurred ahead of the university’s scheduled commencement ceremony in the same location on May 10th. The recent cancellation of the valedictorian’s speech due to safety concerns stemming from her pro-Palestinian views sparked controversy and led to a list of demands from students, including divestment.
A student encampment at UC Berkeley has grown to include 40 tents, with students demanding an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the boycott and divestment of companies that profit from the colonization of Palestine. The encampment is a reflection of the growing awareness among students about the oppression faced by Palestinians and the need for solidarity.
Students at Princeton University are planning to establish a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus, mirroring similar protests at other universities across the nation. The students’ demands include the university’s condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza, a call for a ceasefire, financial transparency in investments, divestment from companies associated with Israel, and the establishment of partnerships with Palestinian institutions. The National Review has obtained documents outlining the students’ plans, including a list of professors sympathetic to their cause, recruitment strategies, and various encampment roles. Despite warnings from the university administration that encampments and disruptive protests are prohibited and will result in arrests and disciplinary action, organizers express belief that extreme measures like expulsion are unlikely.
University of Pittsburgh students, along with others, have entered the second day of a pro-Palestine demonstration featuring an expanding encampment at Schenley Plaza. The encampment, now boasting 26 tents, is adorned with Palestinian flags and banners expressing messages like “Stop The Genocide” and “Ceasefire Now.” The protesters are urging Pitt to withdraw its investments in war-related activities in Israel. The peaceful protest, organized by the student group “Pitt Divest from Apartheid,” is anticipated to continue through Friday.
President Joe Biden has signed a bill requiring parent company ByteDance to divest TikTok within nine months. If ByteDance fails to do so, TikTok will be effectively banned in the United States. The bill was included in a $95 billion foreign aid package that President Biden signed on Wednesday morning. It gives China-linked parent company ByteDance nine months to sell TikTok. If progress is being made toward a sale, President Biden can extend the deadline another three months. If ByteDance fails to divest TikTok within that time frame, the app would be effectively banned in the United States and removed from Apple’s App Store.
Anti-Israel protests have spread to college campuses across the US, with students forming protest encampments and demanding that their schools stop doing business with Israel. The protests, inspired by ongoing demonstrations at Columbia University in New York City, have gained momentum as administrators continue to allow anti-Israel demonstrations at schools like Yale, MIT, UC Berkeley, University of Southern California, Princeton, Harvard, Stanford, Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, University of Michigan, University of North Carolina, University of Virginia and others.
The protests come as the Israel-Hamas war surpassed the six-month milestone earlier this month, which has resulted in tens of thousands of civilian Palestinian deaths. The stories of suffering in Gaza have sparked international calls for a cease-fire and protests around the world.
Students at campuses across the U.S. have demanded their schools stop doing business with Israel or the U.S. Defense Department, which gives money to it. While the specific demands may vary from campus to campus, they include:
* Stop doing business with military weapons manufacturers that are supplying arms to Israel.
* Stop accepting research money from Israel for projects that aid the country’s military efforts.
* Stop investing college endowments with money managers who profit from Israeli companies or contractors.
* Be more transparent about what money is received from Israel and what it’s used for.
President Biden was asked this week whether he condemned “the antisemitic protests” and he said that he did. “I also condemn those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians,” Biden added after an Earth Day event Monday.
The president of Columbia University, seen as the origin point of the mass demonstrations, said she was “deeply saddened” by the actions of agitators who riled students and faculty with anti-Jewish slogans and chants.
“I am deeply saddened by what is happening on our campus,” said Dr. Nemat “Minouche” Shafik. “Our bonds as a community have been severely tested in ways that will take a great deal of time and effort to reaffirm. Students across an array of communities have conveyed fears for their safety and we have announced additional actions we are taking to address security concerns. The decibel of our disagreements has only increased in recent days. These tensions have been exploited and amplified by individuals who are not affiliated with Columbia who have come to campus to pursue their own agendas.”
The U.S. Senate has passed legislation giving TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, nine months to divest the app’s U.S. assets or face a nationwide ban. If ByteDance is close to divestment near the end of the period, the president can authorize an additional 90 days. The bill sets the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit as the exclusive forum for any legal challenges. TikTok is expected to sue to stop the bill and request a preliminary injunction, halting the forced sale process. The TikTok app is not expected to change for its 170 million U.S. users until the end of the divestment period in early 2025.
Inspired by protests against Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, students at numerous U.S. colleges are setting up encampments and demanding that their schools cease business with Israel and companies supporting its military operations. The students’ demands include halting investments with arms manufacturers, research collaborations aiding Israeli military efforts, and partnerships with Israeli companies or contractors. Despite university officials expressing concerns about potential antisemitism, students remain determined, citing the suffering in Gaza and the need for greater transparency in university investments.
Across the United States, university campuses have become rallying grounds for protests against the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Students and faculty, particularly those affiliated with organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, have taken to the streets to demand an immediate ceasefire, an end to US military aid to Israel, and the divestment of university endowments from companies supporting the conflict. The protests have led to significant disruptions, arrests, and heightened tensions on campuses, with police responding to reports of assault and vandalism. Universities are grappling with the challenge of balancing free expression with the safety and well-being of their communities.
Student protests demanding an end to the Israel-Hamas conflict and university divestment from Israel continue at Emerson College and MIT. Encampments were established Sunday night, with students vowing to remain until their demands are met. While the protests have been peaceful, tensions remain high, particularly at MIT, where the Hillel Center for Jewish Students is located. Jewish students have expressed concerns about their safety, while others plan to gather for a Seder celebration. Despite widespread protests on college campuses across the US, other Massachusetts colleges have not reported similar demonstrations.
