This article explores the powerful role students have played in shaping global history, highlighting eight significant student-led movements that brought about political change. From the Vietnam War protests to the Arab Spring, students have consistently demonstrated their capacity to challenge authority and advocate for their vision of a better future.
A student-led pro-Palestinian encampment was established at the University of Calgary on Thursday, joining dozens of similar protests on campuses across Canada and the United States. The Calgary Student Movement, which is leading the encampment, is demanding that the university divest from all corporations involved in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and condemn Israel’s actions towards Palestinians.
Hundreds of police officers with shields and batons have entered the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) to disperse a pro-Palestinian protest camp that was attacked by pro-Israeli supporters less than 24 hours ago. Around 300 to 500 police officers were seen inside the camp, while about 2,000 more gathered outside the barricades. Police used flash-bang devices and some protesters fought back, shouting and shining lights at them. Police arrested occupants who refused to leave the camp, which had been declared unlawful by the university. The clash follows a violent confrontation between counter-demonstrators and protesters on Wednesday, leading to the use of pepper spray and physical altercations.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has requested a report from the Karnataka Police regarding allegations of sexual abuse involving Lok Sabha MP Prajwal Revanna within three days. The NCW, in a letter to the Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP), condemned the incident and emphasized the need for prompt action to apprehend Revanna, who has fled the country. Revanna was suspended from his party, JD(S), following the allegations, which include the circulation of explicit video clips allegedly involving him and multiple women. Separately, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi asserted that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wins the current Lok Sabha elections, it will “tear apart” and “throw away” the Indian Constitution. Gandhi highlighted the importance of the Constitution in protecting the rights of marginalized communities. In other news, a Delhi-based doctor expressed her concerns about Uber’s safety measures after experiencing an accident while traveling with the service. She raised concerns about inexperienced drivers and has decided to boycott the company. Additionally, students from the University of Utah joined pro-Palestinian demonstrations, demanding the institution divest from its Israeli connections. The protests have led to the establishment of nearly 20 tent encampments on campus grounds.
Following clashes between pro-Palestinian protesters and police on campuses across the country, numerous universities have witnessed an increase in protests over the Israel-Hamas conflict. At the University of Texas, Texas State Troopers on horses were deployed to disperse demonstrators, while at Columbia University, US House Speaker Mike Johnson has demanded the resignation of the university president, expressing concerns about the safety of Jewish students.
The protests stem from the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, prompting students to demand an immediate ceasefire and the divestment of their schools from Israel.
Law enforcement officers have taken action against protesters in some instances, leading to arrests and detentions. As the conflict continues, it is expected that student demonstrations and demands for solidarity with the Palestinians will persist.
College campuses across the country have witnessed a surge in pro-Palestinian protests in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Students are demanding that universities divest from companies supporting Israel’s military efforts and, in some cases, from Israel itself. Protests have taken various forms, including sit-ins, marches, and tent encampments. In some instances, clashes with law enforcement have occurred, leading to arrests.
Students at the University of Texas at Austin joined a wave of pro-Palestine protests that have erupted on US college campuses. The protests were sparked by mass arrests at Columbia University in New York and have since spread to universities across the country.
Hundreds of students at Harvard University gathered outside University Hall to protest the university’s suspension of the Palestine Solidarity Committee, the leading pro-Palestinian student group on campus. The students chanted, marched, and carried Palestinian flags and signs as they circled the yard, which was closed to the public except for students, faculty, and staff. The protest comes amid a wave of student-led, pro-Palestinian encampments at universities across the country, including MIT, Emerson College, and Tufts University. Harvard’s closure of the yard and suspension of the Palestine Solidarity Committee has drawn criticism from some students, who see it as a suppression of free speech. Others were more understanding of the university’s need to balance free expression with safety.
Students at Sydney University have established an encampment in support of pro-Palestinian demonstrations sweeping across US institutions. The encampment, inspired by similar actions at Columbia University and other American colleges, demands that the university sever ties with Israeli universities and arms manufacturers. Sydney University has stated its commitment to peaceful protest while warning of disciplinary action for rule violations.
Approximately 100 students at the University of Texas at Dallas occupied the campus’s administration building on Tuesday evening, demanding action by the university administration on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The peaceful sit-in began as an outdoor protest but moved indoors after the dean of students attempted to dissuade the group from continuing their demonstration. The students have issued a list of demands to the university, including a public statement condemning the violence and support for Palestinian rights.
The protest is part of a wave of demonstrations on college campuses across the country over the conflict. Columbia University canceled in-person classes and police arrested dozens of students at New York University and Yale as tensions continue to escalate.
