On Saturday, twenty-five people were arrested at the University of Virginia for trespassing after police clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters who refused to remove tents from campus. The protesters had been demonstrating since Tuesday, chanting “Free Palestine” and demanding that the school divest from Israeli interests. Police in heavy gear moved in to remove the tents and canopies, and there were reports of students being pushed to the ground, pulled by their arms, and sprayed with a chemical irritant. The clashes were part of a larger trend of protests and arrests at colleges and universities across the country over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Many of these protests have involved tent encampments on campus, with demonstrators urging universities to stop doing business with Israel or companies that support the war in Gaza. The Associated Press has recorded at least 61 incidents of arrests at protests since April 18, with more than 2,400 people being arrested on 47 campuses. Campus protests have disrupted final exams and commencement ceremonies, with tent encampments being dismantled at many schools. Michigan, Indiana, Ohio State, and Northeastern were among the schools facing protests during graduation ceremonies.
At the University of Michigan, protesters disrupted a commencement ceremony by marching towards the stage chanting anti-war messages and calling on the school to divest from Israel. Authorities prevented the protesters from reaching the stage, and the event continued without major interruptions. In Ann Arbor, students have set up an encampment on campus, and there have been reports of police assisting in breaking up large gatherings. In Indiana, students urged supporters to wear kaffiyehs and walk out during remarks by the university president at a graduation ceremony.
At Princeton University in New Jersey, 18 students launched a hunger strike to push the university to divest from companies tied to Israel. The hunger strike participants are demanding amnesty from criminal and disciplinary charges for protesters and are calling for a meeting with university administrators. At Tufts University in Massachusetts, students peacefully took down their encampment without police intervention after negotiations with the university failed. The protests stem from the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and significant displacement in Gaza.
Overall, the protests at universities across the country reflect a growing movement of students calling for divestment from Israel and companies supporting the war in Gaza. The clashes and arrests at various campuses highlight the tensions and divisions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict, and the protests have disrupted graduation ceremonies and final exams at many schools. The demonstrations are part of a wider trend of student activism on campus, with protesters calling for action on a range of social and political issues.
