The United States has witnessed a growing number of university students protesting against Israel’s war on Gaza, demanding a ceasefire and divestment from companies that support the conflict. Police have responded to these protests with force, using chemical irritants and Tasers to disperse the crowds. Students across various universities have been arrested. In Boston, around 100 people were detained as police cleared out a protest at Northeastern University. Similarly, the Indiana University Police Department arrested 23 people, and the Arizona State University Police Department arrested 69 people for trespassing. At Washington University in St Louis, US presidential candidate Jill Stein and her campaign manager were among at least 80 people arrested.
Protests demanding amnesty for students and faculty members disciplined or fired for protesting have also been taking place. These demonstrations have led to hundreds of arrests and punishments across the country. Some universities had to cancel graduation ceremonies, while others have seen their buildings occupied by the protesters.
Despite university leaders’ attempts to quell the protests, they have continued to spread nationwide. Students have been taking risks by protesting, and they are well aware of the potential consequences. Some have been suspended, put on probation, and even expelled from colleges.
The protests have also spread to universities in Canada, Europe, and Australia. At McGill University in Montreal, Canada’s first campus protest camp for Gaza was set up. The students were demanding that McGill and Concordia universities divest from funds implicated in the Zionist state and cut ties with Zionist academic institutions.
