Students at eight universities have come together to protest the war in Gaza and demand that their schools divest from Israel. The DC, Maryland, and Virginia Coalition of Students for Justice in Palestine released a statement criticizing the inaction of the United States government and universities in addressing the situation in Gaza. The coalition consists of American University, Gallaudet University, George Mason University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Howard University, the University of Maryland, and University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Their demands include divesting from businesses supporting the genocide of Palestinians, protecting speech in support of Palestine, dropping charges against pro-Palestine student organizers, and ending academic partnerships with Zionist institutions.
The president and provost of George Washington University issued a statement calling on police to remove the encampments set up by the protesters, citing safety concerns and disruptions to learning and study during the final exam period. The university considered the encampments to be an unauthorized use of campus space and a violation of university policies. The students were given until 7 p.m. to move their tents off campus. Emory University in Atlanta also had protesters arrested for opposing the war in Gaza and a police training center known as “Cop City.” Harvard, Columbia, New York University, Yale University, California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, the University of Minnesota, and Ohio State University have also seen protests and arrests related to the war in Gaza.
The protests are part of a national movement by students to raise awareness about the situation in Gaza, where over 34,000 people have been killed. Harvard students set up encampments on campus, Columbia University saw over 100 protesters arrested, and this week, there have been arrests at New York University, Yale University, California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, the University of Minnesota, and Ohio State University. The protesters are calling for universities to take action to end the genocide of Palestinians and to stop supporting Zionist institutions. The response from the universities has varied, with some choosing to remove the encampments while others have not yet commented.
The protesters are facing backlash from some universities, such as George Washington University, where the administration called for the removal of encampments due to safety concerns and disruptions to campus activities. The students involved in the protests are calling for divestment from Israel and an end to academic partnerships with organizations supporting the genocide in Gaza. The protests have sparked a national conversation about the role of universities in global conflicts and the responsibility of students to speak out against injustice. The arrests and confrontations with authorities highlight the challenges faced by those advocating for change on college campuses.
