Harvard University will face a lawsuit alleging rampant antisemitism on its campus, with a federal judge finding plausible claims that the school deliberately ignored Jewish students’ concerns about harassment and safety. The lawsuit, filed by Jewish students, accuses Harvard of failing to enforce its own anti-discrimination policies and creating an environment where pro-Palestinian activism has led to hostile treatment of Jewish students.
Over 200 protesters were arrested as police moved in to dismantle a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The raid, which took place on Thursday, saw police wearing helmets and body armor tear down barricades and use rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. The police said the arrests were made for allegedly failing to disperse, which is a misdemeanor. The Daily Bruin, UCLA’s independent student-run newspaper, reported that over 50 people contributed to the coverage of the campus protests, attacks on the encampment, and police raid. The editor-in-chief of the Daily Bruin, Isabelle Friedman, described the police raid as “traumatising and distressing” and said that “our reporters were gassed, assaulted and threatened with arrest”. She also said that she and others were forced to leave the building near the encampment despite an assurance from the vice chancellor to cover protests safely.
On May 1st, a violent clash erupted between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrators at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), resulting in hours of unrest and disrupting campus operations. Scuffles and fights broke out, with protesters engaging in fistfights, shoving, kicking, and using sticks to assault one another. Riot gear-clad officers stormed Hamilton Hall, which had been occupied by pro-Palestinian protesters, to quell the disturbance. Over 1,600 people have been arrested in pro-Palestine campus protests in the past two weeks, including 282 arrests made on Tuesday night at Columbia University and City College New York.
A rally by pro-Palestinian students at the University of Southern California (USC) descended into chaos when campus police confronted protesters attempting to set up an encampment in Alumni Park. The incident follows the university’s decision to cancel the valedictorian’s speech over her pro-Palestinian views, sparking backlash and demands for divestment.
A rally held by pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the University of California’s Alumni Park took a dramatic turn when protesters clashed with police after attempting to set up an encampment on campus.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) dismantled a pro-Palestinian encampment at New York University (NYU) on April 22, resulting in several arrests. The action follows a massive faculty walkout at Columbia University in support of students detained during a similar demonstration. Protesters are calling for NYU to divest from investments connected to Israel amid ongoing violence in Gaza.
Police arrested dozens of protesters and cleared out an encampment set up by pro-Palestinian demonstrators at New York University on Monday night. The encampment was set up in an outdoor plaza on the campus early Monday morning by students and faculty protesting the war in Gaza. NYU warned protesters that if they did not clear the plaza by 4 p.m., the university would invite the police onto campus. Around 8:35 p.m., top NYPD officials arrived at the plaza and called for officers from the department’s Strategic Response Group. As the cops arrested dozens of protesters and dismantled the encampment, tensions escalated and other demonstrators threw objects at members of the specialized unit. About 100 protesters linked arms around the tents, but police successfully cleared out the area, warning press they were subject to arrest if they didn’t leave, too. As throngs of people spilled out onto the street and more arrests were made, some protesters worked to block officers from leading those in custody onto waiting buses used to transport the detainees.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft has called on his alma mater, Columbia University, to take action against anti-Israel sentiment and a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus. Kraft expressed deep sadness over the spread of “virulent hate” and said he was no longer confident in the university’s ability to protect its community. He urged Columbia to end the protests and regain the trust of those who have lost faith in the institution.
