Protests against the ongoing conflict in Gaza have rapidly expanded from prestigious institutions like Columbia and Yale to other universities across the United States, as officials work to contain the escalating unrest on campuses.
On Monday evening, police intervened to disperse a protest at New York University, leading to several arrests.
Earlier in the day, a similar response at Yale resulted in the arrest of dozens of students, prompting Columbia University to cancel in-person classes due to safety concerns.
Demonstrations and debates about the Israel-Gaza war, free speech, and rising antisemitism and Islamophobia have erupted across US campuses since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October.
According to Israeli figures, about 1,200 people—primarily civilians—were killed, and over 250 others were taken hostage.
Israel’s intense military response in Gaza has resulted in significant casualties, with more than 34,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, killed, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
The US has seen a surge in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents. President Joe Biden, commenting on the protests, condemned “the antisemitic protests” and criticized those who “don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians.”
The turmoil on college campuses drew national attention when New York City police were called to Columbia University, leading to multiple arrests.
In response, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik announced that all classes would shift to virtual formats, citing “intimidating and harassing behavior.”
Dr. Shafik mentioned that some individuals not affiliated with Columbia had taken advantage of campus tensions to promote their agendas.
At New York University, protesters established encampments near the Stern School of Business, urging the institution to divest from weapons manufacturers and companies with interests in the Israeli occupation.
Police began arresting protesters as the night went on.
In another incident, nearly 50 people were arrested at Yale University, where protests had drawn hundreds of participants over the weekend.
University officials stated that the arrests were due to individuals ignoring repeated requests to leave.
Campus protests have spread to other universities, including the University of California at Berkeley, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Michigan, Emerson College, and Tufts University.
Yet, these protests have also faced allegations of antisemitism.
Videos posted online show some demonstrators near Columbia University supporting the Hamas attack on Israel.
A rabbi associated with the university advised Jewish students to avoid the campus until the situation improved.
Meanwhile, some faculty members and student groups have criticized university responses to the protests.
Columbia’s Knight First Amendment Institute urged a course correction, stating that external authorities should only be involved in cases of “clear and present danger to persons, property, or the substantial functioning of any division of the university.”
The institute argued that it was unclear whether the encampments and protests posed such a danger.
The growing protests have drawn the attention of both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, with some calling for Columbia’s president to step down and others criticizing the university’s failure to ensure a safe environment for Jewish students.
Additionally, prominent Columbia alumnus and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft indicated that he would withdraw support for the university unless corrective action was taken.
The ongoing conflict and its impact on US campuses continue to raise significant questions about free speech, academic freedom, and campus safety.
While the debate intensifies, university officials, students, and lawmakers seek a path toward resolution amid the complex dynamics of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
