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1 of 6 | Pro-Israeli counter-protesters clasp a rally extracurricular of Columbia University successful New York connected Friday. The assemblage announced that classes would beryllium held remotely starting Monday, arsenic pro-Palestinian protests person continued for almost 2 weeks connected nan school's campus. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
April 26 (UPI) -- Pro-Palestine protests and encampments person dispersed crossed nan United States, starring to nan arrests of hundreds and an expanding administrative nightmare for assemblage officials.
Protesters passim nan United States are chiefly calling for their respective universities to cut financial ties pinch entities connected to Israel successful consequence to nan warfare successful Gaza.
While nary of nan demonstrations person led to divestments of funds, they person forced universities to move immoderate classes online and cancel graduation ceremonies.
Demonstrators astatine New York's Columbia University, nan epicenter of nan demonstrations, past week called for nan assemblage to extremity its narration pinch Israeli world institutions and a "complete divestment" of costs from pro-Israel entities.
Columbia's president Nemat "Minouche" Shafik called for nan New York City Police Department to region group who were encamped connected nan South Lawn of nan campus, "in usurpation of nan university's rules and policies."
Law-enforcement officials said they arrested much than 108 people connected April 18.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., condemned Shafik's actions connected behalf of nan protesters. Her remarks followed chap New York Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman, who accused Columbia of "caving to right-wing pressure."
Shafik, however, faces unit from nan right, arsenic well. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called for her resignation aft a crowd of protesters many times interrupted him and different GOP lawmakers during a property convention astatine Columbia connected Thursday.
Student protestation leaders connected Friday said they are still successful negotiations pinch assemblage leadership, but nan university's offers still autumn short regarding divestment from Israel-linked organizations and amnesty for students and module who person been punished for their engagement successful nan protests.
Protests and counter-protests continued Friday astatine Columbia, starring pinch hundred's of pro-Israel demonstrators holding images of hostages taken by Hamas connected Oct. 7 and chanting "Bring them location now! Alive!"
Later successful nan day, nan abstraction became occupied by a ample group of pro-Palestine Hasidic Jews holding signs that publication "All Palestine must beryllium returned to Palestinian Sovereignty" and "Judaism Rejects Zionism."
The business astatine Columbia has dispersed and engulfed colleges and universities crossed overmuch of nan United States complete nan past week.
More than 100 group connected Friday group up tents successful beforehand of nan administrative building of nan University of North Carolina astatine Chapel Hill, according to nan field newspaper The Daily Tar Heel. The arena was organized by UNC's section of Students for Justice successful Palestine.
The group issued a connection saying it stands "in solidarity pinch our comrades astatine Columbia and crossed nan U.S. who person been repressed, arrested, and physically attacked," and that nan intent of nan objection was to "center Palestine and telephone attraction to nan university's information successful nan genocide successful Gaza."
SJP said it has called connected nan assemblage to divest costs since October, and location has been nary alteration successful nan administration's response.
More than 50 encamped protesters occupied field Thursday and Friday astatine George Washington University, according to nan field newspaper nan GW Hatchet. Demonstrators remained nan U-Yard past nan 7 p.m. deadline group by administrators to clear nan encampment but person yet to look superior unit from field police.
Students from adjacent colleges, including Georgetown University, American University, George Mason and nan University of Maryland later joined student protesters astatine George Washington.
About 200 students linked arms astatine Illinois' Northwestern University connected Friday to protestation what they called censorship from nan assemblage and to telephone for it to divest costs from Israel.
Administration officials said nan demonstrators had mostly dispersed and removed their tents later successful nan day. Students who refused were cited by field police. No arrests were made.
The University of Florida took a hardline stance Friday aft 2 days of pro-Palestine protests.
The assemblage threatened suspension and banishment from field for 3 years for protesters if they break a big of behavior-related rules. Employees aliases professors caught breaking those rules will beryllium fired, nan schoolhouse said.
Campus constabulary said they person not yet made immoderate arrests during nan mostly serene protests astatine UF.
Some of nan rules see prohibiting protesters from utilizing bullhorns, possessing weapons aliases protesting wrong field buildings. Other rules were vague, specified arsenic 1 prohibiting "disruption." Permitted activities see "speech," "expressing viewpoints" and "holding signs successful hands," according to nan university.
Dozens of protesters astatine Emory University successful Atlanta camped retired connected Thursday until constabulary officers deployed what they called "chemical irritants" to break up nan demonstration.
Twenty-eight group were arrested, including 20 students and faculty, according to assemblage officials.
First quality hearings for nan Emory protesters began Friday successful DeKalb County. One of nan first was Emory University Economics professor Caroline Fohlin, a tenured professor of 13 years who was charged pinch disorderly behaviour and elemental artillery against a constabulary officer, according to region jailhouse records.
DeKalb County Magistrate Court Judge Ann Guerrant ordered nary restrictions connected students and module progressive successful nan protestation per nan university's request.
Police arrested 57 group who refused to disperse from a protestation Wednesday astatine nan University of Texas astatine Austin, according to nan Travis County Sheriff's Office.
All group who were arrested person since had their cases disposed aft nan region attorney's agency wished they "lack capable probable origin to proceed."
UT-Austin connected Friday placed nan protest's organizers, nan Palestine Solidarity Committee, connected "interim suspension," citing nan "alleged usurpation of organization rules."
The University of Southern California connected Thursday cancelled its main graduation ceremonial aft students group up an encampment Wednesday. Police arrested 93 group aft ordering them to disperse.
Police connected Thursday arrested 36 demonstrators astatine Ohio State University aft they refused to disobey orders to disperse. University spokesperson Benjamin Johnson said 20 of those group were not affiliated pinch nan university, and 16 were students.
