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Agence France-Presse

Tensions flared between pro-Palestinian student protesters and school administrators at several US universities on Monday, as in-person classes were cancelled and demonstrators arrested.
The protests, which began last week at Columbia University with a large group of demonstrators establishing a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” on school grounds, have spread to other campuses, including Yale, MIT and others.
Some Jewish students at Columbia have reported intimidation and antisemitism amid the days-long protest, which is calling for the prestigious New York institution to divest from companies with ties to Israel.
Classes were moved online on Monday, with university president Nemat Shafik calling for a “reset” in an open letter to the school community.

“Over the past days, there have been too many examples of intimidating and harassing behaviour on our campus,” she said.
“Antisemitic language, like any other language that is used to hurt and frighten people, is unacceptable and appropriate action will be taken.
“To de-escalate the rancour and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday,” she added.
US university cancels Muslim valedictorian’s speech, citing safety concerns
Last week, more than 100 protesters were arrested after university authorities called the police on to the private campus on Thursday, a move that seemingly escalated tensions and sparked a greater turnout over the weekend.
Mimi Elias, a social work student who was arrested, said on Monday: “We are going to stay until they talk to us and listen to our demands.”
“We don’t want antisemitism or Islamophobia. We are here for the liberation of all,” Elias said.
Joseph Howley, an associate professor of classics at Columbia, said the university had reached for the “wrong tool” by involving police, which had attracted “more radical elements that are not part of our student protests”.
“You can’t discipline and punish your way out of prejudice and community disagreement,” Howley said.

As the holiday of Passover began on Monday night, social media images appeared to show pro-Palestinian Jewish students holding traditional seder meals inside the protest areas on multiple campuses, including at Columbia.
Further downtown, police began detaining protesters who had set up their own encampment at New York University at around 8.30pm, The New York Times reported, after the school called the students’ behaviour “disorderly, disruptive, and antagonising”.
There were also demonstrations at MIT, the University of Michigan and Yale, where at least 47 people had been arrested on Monday after refusing requests to disperse.
“The university made the decision to arrest those individuals who would not leave the plaza with the safety and security of the entire Yale community in mind,” the Ivy League university said in a statement.
At Harvard, university officials on Monday suspended the Palestinian Solidarity Committee, the student group said on Instagram.
They were ordered to “cease all organisational activities” for the rest of the term, or risk permanent expulsion after holding an unregistered demonstration last week, student newspaper the Harvard Crimson reported, citing an email to the group.
Universities have become the focus of intense cultural debate in the United States since Hamas’ October 7 attack and Israel’s overwhelming military response, as a humanitarian crisis grips the Palestinian territory of Gaza.
US President Joe Biden on Monday said he condemned “the antisemitic protests”.
“I also condemn those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians,” he told reporters, without further details.


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United States

Tensions flare at US universities over Israel-Gaza war protests

Several hundred students and pro-Palestinian supporters rally at Yale University on Monday. Photo: Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media via AP

A protest encampment in support of Palestinians at Columbia University. Photo: Reuters

New York University students on Monday. Photo: AFP

University of Southern California cancels director Jon M. Chu’s speech amid valedictorian row over Israel-Gaza war

Director Jon M. Chu, recipient of the Martin Scorsese Legend Of Cinema Award, poses with the trophy during CinemaCon 2024 in Las Vegas on April 11. Photo: AFP

USC said it was cancelling valedictorian Asna Tabassum’s speech at the May 10 ceremony because of safety concerns. Photo: TNS

Pro-Palestinian students and activists camp out at Columbia University in New York City on April 19. Photo: AFP

University of Southern California cancels Muslim valedictorian’s speech, citing safety concerns

USC valedictorian Asna Tabassum. Photo: Courtesy Council on American-Islamic Relations, California

The University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, California. Photo: AFP

News

World

United States & Canada

Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Yale as Columbia cancels in-person classes
Biden condemns ‘antisemitic protests’ as police crack down on demonstrators


Classes at Columbia University were shifted online on Monday as protests over the Israel-Gaza war heightened tensions on US campuses and led to dozens of arrests at Yale University.


Middle East

War and conflict

Israel

Israel-Gaza war

Tensions flare at US universities over Israel-Gaza war protests

Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Yale as Columbia cancels in-person classes Biden condemns ‘antisemitic protests’ as police crack down on demonstrators

Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Yale as Columbia cancels in-person classes

Biden condemns ‘antisemitic protests’ as police crack down on demonstrators