Police arrested dozens of people at pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Yale University in Connecticut and New York University in Manhattan on Monday, as the war in Gaza continued to reverberate through U.S. university campuses.

New York

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is 'at war' following a surprise attack from Gaza by Hamas militants.

Israel-Gaza War

Dozens Arrested at U.S. Universities as Gaza Protests Grow

Police apprehended numerous individuals at pro-Palestinian demonstrations taking place at Yale University in Connecticut and New York University in Manhattan. The arrests were part of the U.S. university campuses' reactions to the ongoing war in Gaza. 

At New York University, after nightfall, riot police intervened to disperse protesters who had congregated in a plaza, ignoring university orders to disband. Protesters, numbering in the hundreds, chanted for the university to sever financial ties with efforts supporting Israel's military actions in Gaza. 

Additionally, New York's Columbia University witnessed the detention of several demonstrators. The university had earlier cancelled in-person classes in an attempt to lower tensions following the previous week's arrest of over a hundred students who had established a pro-Palestinian tent city.

The formation of these protests across prestigious universities signals a broader response to the intensification of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which reignited on October 7 with a Hamas raid into Israel followed by a forceful Israeli offensive in Gaza.

At Columbia University, some faculty members, including Professor David Lurie, openly criticized the suspension of students partaking in the protests, demanding the immediate lifting of all suspensions and charges at both Barnard College and Columbia University. Columbia University's President Namat Shafik condemned the anti-Semitic and harassing incidents that occurred on campus.

As the protests continued, there were reports of speeches on Columbia's campus decrying Israel and Zionism while applauding Palestinian armed resistance. The presence of law enforcement on the streets of Manhattan aimed to prevent clashes between opposing groups.

In Connecticut, student media reported that around 45 Yale University students were detained for blocking traffic during pro-Palestinian rallies. Similar demonstrations were noted at Emerson College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

The backdrop of these university protests and increased tensions is a reported rise in bias and hate incidents targeting Jews, Arabs, and Muslims since October 7, coinciding with the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover.



Dozens arrested at U.S. universities as Gaza protests grow

Pro-Palestinian protests escalated across top U.S. universities Monday, after nightfall riot police broke up demonstrations at New York University and carried out mass arrests. Hundreds of protesters had defied university orders to leave a plaza where they gathered. They shouted chants, urging NYU authorities to divest from efforts linked to Israel's war effort in Gaza. At New York's Columbia University, police detained several protesters. Earlier in the day, the school canceled in-person classes to de-escalate tensions after last week's crackdown on a pro-Palestinian protester-tent city that saw over a hundred students arrested. Ongoing protests in top universities are a response to the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which began on October 7 with a deadly raid by Hamas Islamist militants into Israel, and Israel's fierce response in Hamas-controlled Gaza. Some Columbia faculty, including Professor David Lurie, spoke on Monday against the school suspending students who joined the action. We demand that all Barnard College and Columbia University suspensions and charges be dismissed immediately. Columbia University President Namat Shafik had denounced anti-Semitic language and harassing behavior that she said had occurred on campus recently. Protesters on Columbia's lawn have given speeches condemning Israel and Zionism and praising Palestinian armed resistance. Officers are posted to Manhattan streets to prevent confrontations between rival groups. Meanwhile, student media at Yale University in Connecticut say at least 45 students were arrested Monday linked to pro-Palestinian rallies that blocked traffic. Similar protests were seen at Emerson College and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Human rights advocates say there's been a rise in bias and hate against Jews, Arabs and Muslims since October 7, and concerns grow as the Jewish holiday of Passover began on Monday.

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Paris

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Arizona

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Biden breaks silence on protests at University Campuses

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Council of the City of Sydney

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Columbia University suspends pro-Palestinian protesters

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Columbia University's president said that talks with pro-Palestinian activists over a protest encampment on the Ivy League campus in New York City had reached an impasse and urged demonstrators to voluntarily disperse or face suspension.

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Israel-Gaza War