The recent wave of anti-Israel protests on college campuses reached Princeton, where demonstrators attempted to erect a tent encampment on campus. Princeton Israeli Apartheid Divest, a group involved in the protests, criticized university police for making arrests and referred to them as “pigs” on social media. The protests began as a sit-in on McCosh Courtyard, with some protesters erecting tents in violation of school policy. Princeton University Public Safety gave demonstrators warnings before arresting two graduate students for trespassing. The protesters were immediately barred from campus pending a disciplinary process. Despite the arrests, protesters continued a sit-in on tarps and blankets in the courtyard.
The protesters at Princeton University are calling on the school to divest and disassociate from Israel. They aim to draw attention to Princeton’s alleged contributions to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Despite the arrests, the protesters do not plan to leave until the university meets their demands. Rabbi Eitan Webb, co-director of Princeton’s Chabad House, was part of a group of counter-protesters, some holding American and Israeli flags, who applauded the administration for enforcing campus rules. The protest took place despite the university sending a message to students detailing its approach to handling such demonstrations.
Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber outlined the institution’s commitment to free speech in an op-ed in the student newspaper. He emphasized that while protests and demonstrations are allowed, they must not involve threats, harassment, impede the rights of others, violate the law, or disrupt essential operations. Eisgruber warned that certain types of protest actions, such as establishing outdoor encampments and disrupting campus operations, are unsafe and inconsistent with the university’s mission. Any individual involved in unlawful disruptive conduct will be arrested, barred from campus, and may face serious consequences including expulsion.
The protests at Princeton have sparked controversy among students and faculty, with some supporting the demonstrators and others criticizing their methods. The university has a history of activism, but the recent anti-Israel protests have generated heightened tensions on campus. Despite the university’s warnings and enforcement of rules, protesters remain steadfast in their demands for divestment from Israel. The ongoing sit-in in McCosh Courtyard shows no signs of slowing down, as protesters are committed to staying until their demands are met.
The actions of the protesters at Princeton University have drawn attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role of universities in global divestment movements. The campus protests have become a rallying point for both supporters and opponents of the demonstrations, with some praising the students’ activism and others condemning their tactics. As tensions continue to rise on campus, the university administration faces the challenge of balancing free speech rights with maintaining campus safety and order. The outcome of the protests at Princeton will have far-reaching implications for the university’s policies on activism and dissent in the future.
