Facing Official Brutality, Student Protests in the US Are Increasingly Fiery

The students vowed to survive living in tents around campus until their demands were met.

AFP/CHARLY TRIBALLEAU

The pro-Palestine camp at Columbia University in New York, United States, on Sunday (28/4/2024). Protests against the Israel-Hamas war began at Columbia University earlier this month before spreading to campuses across the country.

WASHINGTON, MONDAY — Pro-Palestinian protests at universities in the United States have only intensified in the face of harsh action by authorities. Protests continued to spread and expand over the weekend. Pro-Palestinian and pro-Jewish masses clashed during the protests.

Until Monday (29/4/2024), pro-Palestinian protests spread across university campuses in the US, from California, Texas, Georgia, to Massachusetts. The students vowed to stay in tents around campus until their demands were met.

The demands of the students, among others, include a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas and for the US to stop providing military aid to Israel. These demands are accompanied by calls for universities to stop investing in companies involved in the military of that country.

AFP/CHARLY TRIBALLEAU

A woman walks past the flag of the United States in front of a pro-Palestine camp at Columbia University in New York City, USA, on Sunday (28/4/2024).

The widespread protests were triggered by the arrest of more than 100 students on the campus of Columbia University a week ago. After a series of protests, violence by officers and arrests, the Columbia campus looked calm on Saturday (27/4/2024).

Also read: US Officials Arrest Students Opposing the Gaza War

"There were no reports of arrests or disturbances overnight," said a university spokesperson, on Sunday (28/4/2024) local time or Monday (29/4/2024) at Western Indonesia Time.

However, outside of Columbia University, the harsh actions of the authorities continue on several campuses. Throughout Saturday, the closure of areas around the University of Southern California (USC) occurred, accompanied by a large number of police. More than 200 people were arrested on several campuses, including 80 people at the University of Washington in St. Louis on Saturday (27/4/2024) night.

AP PHOTO/RICHARD VOGEL

A protester from the University of Southern California was detained by officers from the USC Department of Public Safety during a pro-Palestinian occupation at the Alumni Park on campus in Los Angeles, United States on Monday (24/4/2024).

One of those apprehended at the University of Washington was the Green Party's presidential candidate for 2024, Jill Stein. "They sent anti-riot police and triggered riots in a peaceful demonstration. So, this is shameful," Stein said in a statement.

Washington University stated that the students who were arrested were charged with unauthorized entry into the campus area. On Sunday, two opposing protests emerged at USC, Los Angeles. An external group plans to demonstrate in support of the pro-Palestinian group, while another group protests in support of Jewish students.

They sent in riot police and incited riots in peaceful demonstrations. So, this is a shame.

Member of the Social Justice Center, Harriet Tubman, plans to support the rights of students to protest. However, as an opposition, a group called Stand With Us will hold a rally to defend Jewish students "Stand in Support of Jewish Students" to combat hate and antisemitism.

AP PHOTO/MIKE STEWART

Police officers detain a protester on the Emory University campus during a pro-Palestinian demonstration, in Atlanta, United States, Tuesday (25/4/2024).

The nationwide protests have caught the attention of President Joe Biden. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told ABC News the president understands the very strong sentiment regarding the war in Gaza.

"He understands that. He respects it, and as he has said many times, we certainly respect the right to peaceful protest," said Kirby. He added that the president condemned anti-Semitism and hate speech.

AP PHOTO/PATRICK SEMANSKY

White House National Security Council spokesman, John Kirby, November 28, 2022.

According to Kirby, the public should have the ability to express their views and share their perspectives in a peaceful manner.

Chaos

On Sunday (28/4/2024) local time, a demonstration at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) which was initially peaceful turned violent. The riots were triggered by the actions of several protesters who tried to break through the barriers put up by the campus to separate the two pro-Palestinian and pro-Jewish protesters.

Also read: Apparatus Increasingly Brutal in Facing Waves of Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations on Campuses in the US

Members of two protest groups pushed each other while shouting slogans and insults. Some of them fought and punched each other. Campus police armed with batons eventually separated the two groups. Los Angeles police were not involved in the incident and there were no arrests.

AFP/ETIENNE LAURENT

Demonstrators from the pro-Israel group met with pro-Palestinian protesters during a protest at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), United States, on Sunday (28/4/2024).

UCLA's Vice Rector for Strategic Communication, Mary Osako, expressed regret over the riots. "UCLA has a long history as a place for peaceful protests, and we are saddened by the violence that occurred," said Osako in a statement.

Also read: Amnesty International: The Space for Civil Liberties is Worrying, Human Rights Conditions Are Weakening

UCLA states that the protest from two different groups on the campus involved people from outside the university. The university allowed the two groups on campus to express their views.

The growing protests have been responded by the leadership of several universities with various policies, ranging from the closure of campus areas, the cessation of face-to-face classes replaced by distance learning, to the postponement of graduation ceremonies.

AP/ST LOUIS POST-DISPATCH/CHRISTINE TANNOUS

Police arrest pro-Palestinian protesters who tried to camp on the Washington University campus, in St Louis, United States, Saturday (27/4/2024).

At USC, campus leaders have canceled the main graduation ceremony. Previously, the campus leadership had canceled the graduation farewell speech planned to be delivered by a Muslim student. The student stated that he was silenced by anti-Palestinian hatred.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said that she believed the cancellation of the event was the right decision for them to make. "They estimated 65,000 people on campus, and they felt unsafe," Bass said on the State of the Union program on CNN.

(Reuters/AP)