From Columbia University to Stanford University: US campuses swept by protests as thousands go against Joe Biden; here's why

From Columbia to Stanford: US campuses swept by protests as thousands go against Joe Biden; here’s why

Columbia University protest today: Thousands of students and faculty members are protesting at the campuses including the Columbia Univerisity in the US against President Joe Biden's handling of the ongoing conflict in Gaza which led to deaths of thousands if civilians including women and children.

Ashish Verma Updated On: 23 Apr 2024 09:25:AM

From Columbia to Stanford: US campuses swept by protests as thousands go against Joe Biden; here’s why

The First Intifada erupted in 1987 as a Palestinian response to Israel’s 20-year occupation of the West Bank, (Credit: AFP)

Washington: US college campuses from Columbia to Stanford University are witnessing large-scale protests with thousands of students and faculty members going up in arms against President Joe Biden over his handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The protesters are rallying for the support of the people of Palestine while accusing Biden of being responsible for the deaths of civilians, including children and women, in the Gaza Strip allegedly by Israeli forces.

“Columbia University cancelled in-person classes, Yale police arrested dozens of student protesters, and pro-Palestinian demonstrators set up encampments at other colleges Monday as tensions flared again on campuses across the country over the Israel-Gaza war,” The Washington Post reported.

“Students at many schools are escalating protests over the war, living in tents on campus, disrupting university events, and risking and provoking arrest, leading to a growing sense of chaos and crackdown at colleges in the waning days of the academic year,” the daily wrote.

🚨HAPPENING NOW! Massive crowd of faculty walk out in solidarity with students and with the movement for Palestine at @Columbia University. pic.twitter.com/G98QGQc24A

— The People’s Forum (@PeoplesForumNYC) April 22, 2024

Arrests in New York

According to reports from The New York Times, police intervened to arrest students at the New York University who were participating in pro-Palestine demonstrations. The intervention occurred around 8:30 pm, following statements from university officials alleging that the group had breached barricades and engaged in disruptive behaviour.

Meanwhile, The Mercury News stated that pro-Palestinian students and their allies erected approximately 15 tents at the University of California, Berkeley.

Numerous videos and images capturing the protests have circulated widely on social media. Among them is footage depicting a protest at Columbia University in New York, reportedly led by an Indian student. In the video, she passionately chants the slogan “Azadi. Le Ke Rahenge Azadi,” reminiscent of protests witnessed on some Indian university campuses in previous years.

Columbia University, the epicenter

Columbia University, which has been at the forefront of pro-Palestinian protests on US college campuses recently, has announced that all classes at its main campus will be hybrid, contingent upon technological capabilities, until the conclusion of the spring semester.

In a statement released Monday night, the university emphasized, “Safety is our highest priority as we strive to support our students’ learning and all required academic operations.”

For professors teaching courses where hybrid delivery wasn’t feasible, they were encouraged to explore remote participation options or to generously accommodate students who have requested support for virtual learning throughout the week.

The unrest at the Ivy League institution escalated on Monday, coinciding with the start of the major Jewish holiday of Passover at sundown, prompting officials to address heightened security concerns. Similar tensions have flared up at several other universities, including Yale University, where numerous pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested on Monday, as well as at nearby New York University, and various schools in Boston and California.

Biden condemns ‘anti-semitic’ protests

The White House condemned such protests, stating, “Echoing the rhetoric of terrorist organizations, especially in the wake of the worst massacre committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, is despicable. We condemn these statements in the strongest terms.”

“Do you condemn the antisemitic protests on college campuses?” reporters questioned Biden on Monday. “I condemn the antisemitic protests. That is why I have set up a programme to deal with that. I also condemn those who do not understand what is going on with the Palestinians and their — how they are being,” the president said.

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