US university campuses witness protests against Biden on Gaza conflict
- In Reports
- 02:45 PM, Apr 23, 2024
- Myind Staff
Across US university campuses, thousands of students are protesting President Joe Biden's approach to the Gaza conflict. From Columbia University on the East Coast to Stanford University in California, students have united in solidarity with the Palestinian people, holding Biden accountable for the loss of innocent lives, including children and women, in Gaza due to Israeli military actions.
The protests have led to various actions, such as Columbia University canceling in-person classes, Yale police arresting numerous student demonstrators, and pro-Palestinian groups setting up encampments at other colleges. Tensions remain high as students continue to voice their concerns over the ongoing violence in the Israel-Gaza war.
Videos and images capturing the protests have gained widespread attention on social media platforms. Among them, a particularly notable video depicts a protest by students from Columbia University in New York, with leadership attributed to an individual whom many identify as an Indian student. In the video, she is passionately chanting the slogan "Azadi. Le Ke Rahenge Azadi," reminiscent of chants heard on some Indian university campuses a few years ago. The resonance of such slogans across different contexts highlights the global solidarity in advocating for freedom and justice.
The White House issued a condemnation of the protest, stating, "Echoing the rhetoric of terrorist organisations, 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."
When reporters asked President Biden on April 22 about his stance on the antisemitic protests, he responded, "I condemn the antisemitic protests. That is why I have set up a program 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."
As pro-Palestine protests continue into the sixth day, Columbia University's president announced that classes would transition to virtual settings "to deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider the next steps."
Senators Tom Cotton and Josh Hawley called on President Biden to deploy the National Guard to quell the pro-Palestinian student protests at Columbia University. On Monday, numerous professors from the university stood in solidarity with their students.
In Boston, students from Boston University staged a walkout to protest the arrests of pro-Palestinian student demonstrators at Columbia University. Additionally, students from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology also participated in walkouts in support of the Palestinian cause.
Tensions mounted at campuses in New York and Connecticut as students ramped up protests against Israel's war in Gaza, occupying tent encampments at MIT, Emerson College and Tufts University. The rising tension on campuses is the latest challenge faced by universities since Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel and the bombardment of Gaza that has followed, as administrators struggle to strike a balance between supporting free speech and maintaining campus safety.
On 22nd April 2024, Harvard College took the decision to suspend the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee. The group was directed to "cease all organisational activities for the remainder of the Spring 2024 term" or face the possibility of permanent expulsion, as detailed in an email obtained by the university newspaper.
Image source: BBC
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