Columbia University in New York, where a pro-Palestinian movement started on campuses in the United States, has begun to sanction students who refuse to leave, “except by force”, an encampment set up for ten days . The new wave of the movement of students and activists against Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip has spread to many establishments, from California (west) to New England (northeast). through the center and south of the country.
A “village” of tents, 200 occupants
“We have begun (administratively) suspending students, as part of this new step to ensure the safety of our campus,” Columbia vice president of communications Ben Chang announced to the press Monday evening. After a relatively calm weekend on campus, where a “village” of tents is set up, Columbia President Minouche Shafik launched an ultimatum on Monday expiring at 6 p.m. GMT. She urged 200 occupants of an encampment to leave, following the failure of five days of negotiations for an amicable solution.
These pro-Palestinian students and activists demanding that Columbia, a private university, cut ties with patrons or companies linked to Israel, then called to “protect the encampment”. “We will not be dislodged, except by force,” shouted Sueda Polat, a student leader of the movement, during a press briefing, denouncing “a tactic to scare people which means nothing in the face of the deaths of more than 34,000 Palestinians.”
Dozens of young people paraded, their faces hidden by sanitary masks, walking around the campus clapping their hands and singing “Liberate Palestine”, according to an AFP journalist who counted around fifty people remaining in the small camp in a relaxed atmosphere and without police presence.
A movement that is spreading within American universities
Columbia assured Friday that it would not call on the New York police to evacuate the tents. But for Columbia professor Joseph Howley, President Shafik’s ultimatum amounts to “yielding to external political pressure.” The wave of protest has been spreading across American universities for ten days. The movement started from Columbia where one hundred people were arrested on April 18.
Since then, hundreds of others – students, teachers and activists – have been briefly questioned, sometimes arrested and prosecuted at several universities across the country. Images of riot police intervening on campuses, at the request of universities, have gone around the world, recalling similar events in the United States during the Vietnam War.
The protests have reignited the tense debate since the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, over freedom of expression, a constitutional right and allegations of anti-Semitism. This winter, the two university presidents of Harvard and UPenn had to resign after being accused before Congress in Washington of not doing enough against anti-Semitism.
On the one hand, students and teachers accuse their universities of seeking to censor free political expression, on the other several personalities, including Republican elected officials, believe that activists are fueling anti-Semitism. Jewish students have joined the ranks of pro-Palestinian mobilizations.
“Many of our Jewish students, and others, have felt an intolerable atmosphere in recent weeks. Many have left campus and it is a tragedy,” the president of Columbia said in her statement. Minouche Shafik further affirmed that the university would not divest from its investments in Israel.
More than 350 arrests during the weekend
But the leader of the Republicans in the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, denounced on X a “campus overtaken by anti-Semitic students” and called on Ms. Shafik to resign. On Sunday, the White House called on demonstrations in support of Gaza to remain “peaceful” and condemned “anti-Semitic remarks.” President Joe Biden’s spokesperson, Karine Jean-Pierre, recalled Monday that “freedom of expression must be within the framework of the law and the law.”
Over the weekend, more than 350 people were arrested at several universities across the country and the Boston encampment was dismantled. At the University of Texas at Austin, a camp was also dismantled and a few people arrested. On Monday, police used pepper spray against protesters. “No encampments will be allowed,” conservative Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on social media.
Lawyer Paul Quinzi, who defends detained people in Austin, told AFP he estimated “at least 80 the number of arrests” which “continue”. At Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond (northeast) the police also pushed demonstrators out, according to images from local television. Students accused the police of using tear gas to make them leave.
The management declared on the social network “Those who did not do so were arrested and are in violation,” she added.