Pro-Palestinian student protests and encampments have popped up at dozens of universities throughout the US this month.
Much of the national spotlight is focused on Columbia University, where student protests and encampments have been ongoing for nearly two weeks. Now, pro-Palestinian student protesters have occupied the school’s Hamilton Hall, renaming it “Hind’s Hall” after Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli tanks in Gaza as paramedics tried to rescue her.
Many students also refused to leave an encampment on Columbia’s campus by Monday’s 2pm deadline. As a result, administrators began suspending protesters.
These pro-Palestinian protesters are, by-and-large, asking their universities to divest from companies with ties to Israel. Their calls come amid Israel’s offensive in Gaza, which is believed to have killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Their ongoing attacks come in the wake of 7 October, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking another 250 people hostage.
Here’s a look at the universities where students are staging demonstrations — and how administrators and local police have responded.
Columbia University in New York, New York: The “Gaza Solidary Encampment” began at Columbia University on 17 April. University President Minouche Shafik called the New York Police Department to campus on 18 April. 108 protesters were arrested by officers.
The George Washington University in Washington, DC: Students established a pro-Palestinian encampment on 25 April. More than 200 people — including students from several area schools — have joined the camp since. No arrests have been made but at least one demonstrator has been escorted away by campus police, a university spokesperson told NBC Washington on 29 April.
University of Texas, Austin in Austin, Texas: Pro-Palestinian demonstrators began planning an encampment on 24 April after a protest on campus. Police arrested 57 people on trespassing charges that same day, the Austin American-Statesman reports. At least 100 additional people were arrested on Monday in connection with the pro-Palestinian encampment on 29 April, the outlet reports.
The California State Polytechnic Institute, Humboldt in Arcata, California: Law enforcement arrested some 35 people at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt on 30 April, after pro-Palestinian protesters barricaded themselves inside the dean’s office. The students had occupied Siemens Hall since 22 April.
Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia: Pro-Palestinian student protesters established an encampment on 29 April. That evening, multiple students were arrested by police in riot gear, local outlet WRIC reports.
New York University in New York, New York: Pro-Palestinian protesters established an encampment on 22 April in a university plaza. Officers arrested some 150 protesters the same day.
University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota: Students began staging Pro-Palestinian protests and erecting an encampment on 23 April. Police arrested nine students that same day. Protesters erected another encampment on 29 April. Officials ordered the students to disperse that evening but have yet to enforce the demand as of 30 April, local outlet Fox 9 reports.
University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California: Pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with police on 24 April after students erected an encampment on campus. Officers arrested more than 90 people. The next day, the university cancelled its in-person commencement scheduled for 10 May over the protests.
Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts: Pro-Palestinian student protesters began an encampment in a public alleyway on 21 April. Local police arrested more than 100 protesters on 25 April, . On 28 April, Emerson College President Jay Bernhardt said the school will not take disciplinary action against those arrested, local outlet MassLive reports.
Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio: On 23 April Pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged a protest and began pitching tents on the school’s campus, The Columbus Dispatch reports. That night, law enforcement began making arrests. As of 30 April, officers have arrested 40 people connected to protests on the school’s campus since — about half of those arrested were affiliated with the school.
Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia: Pro-Palestinian protesters began erecting an encampment on 25 April, Fox 5 Atlanta reports. Police then arrested dozens of people, only 20 of whom were students.
Indiana University Bloomington in Bloomington, Indiana: Pro-Palestinian student protesters began demonstrations on 22 April. Since 25 April, 56 protesters have been arrested for pitching tents on campus, local outlet WRTV reports.
Auraria Campus in Denver, Colorado: Pro-Palestinian demonstrators launched a protest on 26 April on Auraria Campus, which houses facilities for three different Denver-area universities. Officers have arrested 44 people in connection with that protest, local outlet KDVR reports.
Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona: Several students and members of the public established an encampment on 26 April, local outlet 12News reports. Officers arrested 72 people on 26 and 27 April. Most of those detained were not affiliated with the university.
Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts: Pro-Palestinian protesters began demonstrations on 25 April, CBS News reports. Officers arrested 98 people on 27 April, including 29 students and six people employed by the university, CBS News later reported.
Washington University in St Louis in St Louis, Missouri: On 13 April, students staged a pro-Palestinian sit-in protest on campus. Roughly a dozen people were arrested, local outlet KSDK reports. On 27 April, students held another protest and encampment. Officers arrested some 80 people at that protest, including former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, KSDK reports.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Pro-Palestinian protesters began demonstrating on campus on 26 April. Officers arrested some 30 protesters on the morning of 30 April, Axios Raleigh reports.
Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia: Pro-Palestinian protesters erected an encampment on 26 April. On 28 April, officers arrested more than 80 people involved in the demonstration, The Washington Post reports. 53 of those detained were students.
Students have also staged protests or encampments at the following schools:
Yale University; Michigan State University; University of Mary Washington; University of California, Los Angeles; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; University of South Carolina; the Fashion Institute of Technology; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Florida State University; University of Connecticut; The New School; Harvard University; Brown University; University of Delaware; Northwestern University; Cornell University; University of Pennsylvania; Stanford University; City College of New York; Indiana University; University of Rochester; Rice University; Swarthmore University; University of North Carolina; University of New Mexico Albuquerque; University of Georgia; Princeton University; Tufts University.
