Protests and news updates from around the world, including pro-Palestine protests on university campuses in the United States, farmers’ protests in India, and challenges faced by passengers on crowded trains.
Results for: University Campuses
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.
House Speaker Kevin Johnson faced heckling and a protest encampment during his visit to Columbia University, where student demonstrations over the Israeli war in Gaza have been taking place. Despite the demands of protesters for universities to divest from Israel and pressure the US government to rein in Israeli strikes, the university agreed to 48 more hours of negotiations to end the protest encampment. Campus protests across the country have been met with shows of force from law enforcement, including arrests in Texas and the removal of tents by campus police in California. Amidst the political polarization, Johnson’s visit was seen as an attempt to support Jewish students and stand up to liberal activists.
Pro-Palestine protests have erupted on university campuses across the United States, sparked by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Despite arrests and attempts to shut down demonstrations, students continue to demand divestment from Israel and a ceasefire. Protests have occurred at prestigious universities such as Columbia University, Yale University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), New York University (NYU), the University of Michigan, and UC Berkeley.
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas intensifies, student protests across the United States have gained momentum. Protesters have occupied buildings, established encampments, and disregarded orders to disperse, demanding that universities condemn Israel’s actions and divest from companies supporting its military. Universities are struggling to balance safety concerns with the right to free speech. Meanwhile, critics argue that some anti-Israel protests have crossed the line into antisemitism.
GOP Senators Josh Hawley and Tom Cotton have urged President Biden to deploy the National Guard to college campuses, particularly Columbia University, due to ongoing pro-Palestinian protests and sit-ins. Hawley compared the situation to the Little Rock Nine incident, while Cotton called for disbanding such groups and invoking the Insurrection Act if necessary. Columbia has switched to remote classes to address the escalating tensions, but arrests and suspensions have not fully quelled the protests, which have also spread to other universities.