Pro-Palestinian demonstrations persist across US despite obstacles

By Ibrahim Hamdi Hacicaferoglu and Irmak Akcan

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations in many US states were unabated despite obstacles from university administrations and police.

Students organizing demonstrations in states and universities across the US in support of Palestine are demanding that their schools end support for Israel.

While students gather and set up camps in open areas on campuses, university and local government officials have responded with detention, expulsion and a threat of termination.

-Key developments

Students have been holding a sit-in for 11 days on campus of the Colombia University to condemn the school’s investments in companies that fund Israel's attacks in the Gaza Strip.

Three students were detained and a ban on entering campus has been extended until May 10 at California Polytechnic State University.

The president banned tents on campus and threatened disciplinary actions against protestors at Northwestern University in Illinois.

The museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York was closed Friday after students camped in front of it.

Thirty-four students were detained after police intervened with batons at Indiana University.

Protestors were threatened with a three-year suspension and employees with termination at the University of Florida.

Three students were detained some tents were removed by police at Arizona State University.

Thirty-six people were detained, including 16 students at Ohio State University.

A protest in support of Palestine at the Auraria campus in Colorado, which is shared by three universities, resulted in 40 people being detained by police after students set up camps.

Students from various schools in the nation’s capital are continuing pro-Palestine demonstrations, including at George Washington University.

Students set up new camps on campus and demanded the university sever ties with Israel at the University of North Carolina (UNC).

The number of detained students increased to 57 at the University of Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott claimed that the protests are antisemitic and called for the expulsion of participating students.

Tents set up at Northeastern University in Boston were removed by police, and the administration alleged the protests turned into an antisemitic demonstration.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi from Istanbul