The series of anti-Israel protests at universities, which began on April 18 at Columbia University and spread across the country, continued this week with police action, confiscations, and arrests in some areas.
At the University of Texas at Arlington, police shut down a protest camp on Thursday after anti-Israel activists had been there for a week.
On May 2, demonstrators at UT Arlington set up what they called a “nonformal” camp outside the campus library, saying they found a way to avoid arrest. The university’s policy doesn't allow students to sleep in tents on campus, so the protesters used tarps and umbrellas instead.
The UT Arlington Progressive Student Union, the group behind the protest, stated on social media, “We will not sleep at the site, we will take shifts. We will not set up structures for living in, we will set up tarps and umbrellas to shield us from the weather. postWe will not give them a single excuse to displace us. Our goal is to take up space until our demands are met.”
The protesters demanded that UT Arlington completely boycott Israel academically, divest from companies that sell weapons and technology to Israel, and protect the rights of student protesters to demonstrate without interference from campus authorities.
On the seventh day of the occupation, the university informed the protesters that their camp violated school policy, according to Fox 4 KDFW. violated The camp was subsequently closed due to violating school policy, according to Fox 4 KDFW.
University officials stated that individuals not affiliated with UTA continued to bring personal items and storage containers to the site, breaking UTA's camp policy.
The camp was closed, but no arrests were made.
Meanwhile, authorities at the University of Texas at Austin are still addressing the aftermath of recent protests.
UT Austin’s faculty council passed a resolution on Wednesday affirming the right of UT Austin community members to peacefully protest and condemning the lack of campus-wide communication prior to the use of Department of Public Safety personnel in riot gear on April 24 and April 29. resolution The resolution also urged the school to establish clear, public criteria for calling DPS to future campus protests and explain the deployment of troopers in April.
The UT Austin Police Department declined to provide body camera footage from the anti-Israel protests that led to numerous arrests in response to KUT’s request. objected They also asked the Office of the Attorney General to allow them to keep the videos private, stating that their release would interfere with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of a crime. April 24 Moreover, the Austin police revealed on Thursday that a man had been arrested for bringing a gun to the campus protest on
Relatedly, Austin police revealed on Thursday that a man had been arrested for bringing a gun to the campus protest. According to court documents obtained by the news outlet, the Austin Police Department received a report of “two protesters armed with guns.” Officers approached both individuals separately at the scene of the protest. arrested Michael David Maule, 26, was allegedly discovered with a small knife and a gun tucked into his waistband, with one bullet in the chamber and two loaded magazines in his pocket. Police stated that Maule did not have a permit to carry the weapons. April 29Police did not provide any details about the second person who was allegedly carrying a weapon.
Despite the ongoing turmoil on campus, UT Austin’s main graduation ceremony will proceed as scheduled on Saturday.
University President Jay Hartzell issued a statement to the UT community, expressing, “While this is a time of celebration for many of our graduates, I also understand the significant and very personal challenges being experienced on our campus, in our community, and across our country and the world.”
Hartzell mentioned that attendees should be ready for a “slight extra wait” or other “minor inconveniences” due to potential protests at the ceremony.
On the West Coast, new legal papers obtained by ABC 7 reveal that a group of 44 demonstrators arrested at the University of California, Los Angeles, on Monday were found with a variety of tools. video A picture from UCLA police displays bolt cutters, super glue, heavy tools, padlocks, chains, and other items allegedly confiscated from the protesters. Police alleged that the group was carrying a printed “The Do-It-Yourself Occupation Guide” and planned to vandalize and occupy a building on the campus.
Out of the 44 arrested, 35 were UCLA students, and nine were not associated with the school, according to ABC 7.
At Columbia University in New York, a large number of Jewish students have signed a letter to the rest of the Columbia community. heavy tools.
“Many of us did not choose to be political activists,” the letter states. “We do not bang on drums and chant catchy slogans. We are average students, just trying to make it through finals much like the rest of you.”
The Jewish students allege they have been told “the Holocaust wasn’t special,” that they are the “oppressors of all brown people,” and to “go back to Poland.”
“One thing is for sure,” the letter asserts. “We will not stop standing up for ourselves. We are proud to be Jews, and we are proud to be Zionists.” open letter Columbia University has experienced widespread disorder amid anti-Israel protests that resulted in the cancellation of the college’s main graduation ceremony. Thirteen federal judges have publicly criticized Columbia’s president, Minouche Shafik, for not imposing harsher penalties against students and faculty participating in the on-campus demonstrations, stating that they would not hire clerks from Columbia.
The wave of anti-Israel demonstrations on university and college campuses, which began on April 18 at Columbia University and spread across the nation, continued this week with police action, confiscations, and arrests in some locations. Police at the University of Texas at Arlington shut down a campus encampment on Thursday after anti-Israel agitators had occupied […]
The Jewish students claim they have been told “the Holocaust wasn’t special,” that they are the “oppressors of all brown people,” and to “go back to Poland.”
“One thing is for sure,” the letter states. “We will not stop standing up for ourselves. We are proud to be Jews, and we are proud to be Zionists.”
Columbia University has faced mass chaos amid anti-Israel protests that led to the cancellation of the college’s main commencement ceremony. Thirteen federal judges have publicly condemned Columbia’s president, Minouche Shafik, for not meting out harsher punishments against students and faculty participating in the on-campus demonstrations, saying that they would not hire clerks from Columbia.
