NEW YORK (AP) — Clashes between protesters and police at the University of Texas on Monday resulted in dozens of arrests. columbia university As graduation approaches, universities across the U.S. begin suspending students as pro-Palestinian protesters plead with them to clear their tent encampments.
From coast to coast, protesters are sparring. israel-hamas war The death toll is rising, with the number of arrests on campuses nationwide approaching 1,000 by the end of the last day of classes. The protests are forcing universities to consider their economic ties to Israel and their support for free speech. Some Jewish students say the anti-Semitic bent of the protests has made them afraid to set foot on campus.
Protests spread to Europe, French police take away dozens of students He was awarded a doctorate by the Sorbonne University after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the courtyard. In Canada, student protest camps have sprung up at the University of Ottawa, McGill University in Montreal, and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, the Canadian Press reported.
At least 40 demonstrators were arrested Monday on charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct at the University of Texas at Austin, including police in riot gear who arrested about 100 protesters who had been sitting in the building. The suspects were surrounded and dragged or carried out one by one, the lawyer said. amidst the screams. Another group of protesters trapped a van carrying police and arrestees between buildings, pushing and shoving bodies, prompting officers to use pepper spray and flash bangs to clear the crowd. did.
More than 50 protesters were arrested last week as tensions escalated on the 53,000-student campus in the state capital.
The university issued a statement late Monday saying many of Monday's protesters were not affiliated with the school and that camping on campus is prohibited. The school also claimed that some demonstrators engaged in “physical and verbal combat” against university staff, prompting authorities to call law enforcement.
The plight of the arrested students Central part of the protest, a growing number of students and faculty are calling for amnesty for protesters. The question is whether the suspension and legal record will last long into the student's adult life.
Texas protests, etc. Colombia's early demos What has continued. On Monday, student activists at the school's Manhattan campus ignored a 2 p.m. deadline and set out from a camp of about 120 tents. Officials said students could finish the semester in good standing if they leave the school by the deadline and sign a document promising to abide by university policies through June 2025. If not, it will be suspended pending further investigation.
Instead, several hundred protesters remained and marched around the quad, weaving through piles of temporary flooring and green carpet in preparation for graduation ceremonies that are due to begin next week.
Several counter-protesters waved Israeli flags, and some held placards that read, “Where's the anti-Hamas chant?”
The university did not call police to remove the protesters, but university spokesman Ben Chan said suspensions had begun. He said the university highly values students' right to free speech, but that the encampments were “distracting noise” that was disrupting their education and preparation for final exams. The university announced it would provide an alternative venue for protests after exams and graduation.
He said the protests also made some Jewish students feel very uncomfortable.
Few other details have been released by the university, including how students were involved, how suspensions will be administered and whether suspended students will be kicked off campus. Protest organizers said they were not aware of the suspension as of Monday night.
The Colombian government's response to the protests has also prompted complaints from the federal government.
A class action lawsuit on behalf of Jewish students alleges breach of contract, alleging that Columbia University failed to maintain a safe learning environment despite policies and promises. They are also objecting to the withdrawal from in-person classes and are calling for swift court action to force Columbia University to ensure the safety of students.
Meanwhile, legal groups representing pro-Palestinian students have asked the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights to investigate whether Columbia University complies with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and how they have been treated. ing.
A university spokesperson declined to comment on the complaint.
In a rare case, Northwestern University announced it had reached an agreement with students and faculty who represent the majority of protesters at its suburban Chicago campus. The bill would allow peaceful demonstrations until the end of spring classes on June 1, and would instead require the removal of all tents, except aid tents, and allow demonstration areas to be closed to students unless otherwise approved by the university. , access is restricted to faculty and staff only.
The University of Southern California canceled its main graduation ceremony scheduled for May 10, but administrators at other universities have tried to reinstate graduation ceremonies, with some ordering encampments cleared in recent days. When these efforts failed, authorities threatened discipline, including possible suspension and arrest.
However, conflicts persisted at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale, and students at other prestigious universities struggled mightily.
Jacob Ginn, a second-year sociology graduate student at the University of North Carolina, said he had been protesting at the encampment for four days, including negotiating with administrators on Friday.
“We are prepared for anything, and we intend to remain here until the university accedes to our demands, and to remain resolute and strong in the face of any brutality or oppression that the university may try to attack us with. “,” Jin said of the possibility of a police raid. of the camp.
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Vertuno reported from Austin, Texas, and Mattise from Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press journalists from across the country, including Sarah Brumfield in Silver Spring, Maryland, contributed to this report. Stephanie Dazio and Christopher Webber in Los Angeles; Carolyn Thompson of Buffalo, New York; David Collins lives in Hartford, CT. Makiya Seminella of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Detroit's Corey Williams.
