Pro-Palestinian protests grow on college campuses as tensions rise 

Tensions are continuing to rise among college campuses across the nation as more pro-Palestinian protests break out, prompting canceled in-person classes and student arrests.

Columbia University was thrust into the spotlight last week when New York Police Department (NYPD) officers — at the request of school officials — began to arrest students participating in a pro-Palestinian demonstration. Students launched last Wednesday what they called the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment.”

The protests prompted the school to move classes online Monday as university President Minouche Shafik faces calls to resign after being questioned from the House Education Committee on campus antisemitism last week. The school has now moved all main campus classes — excluding art-based programs — to a hybrid format for the remainder of the semester.

Similar demonstrations have popped up on other campuses as well, including New York University (NYU) and Yale University. NYU officials asked the NYPD to respond to a demonstration on its campus after protesters set up an encampment earlier that day.

NYPD confirmed to The Hill Monday that multiple people from NYU were taken into custody amid the demonstrations.

Yale’s student newspaper, The Yale Daily News, reported that the protests continued late into Monday night after dozens of students were arrested. Officer Christian Bruckhart, a New Haven police spokesperson, said there were about 45 protesters arrested and charged with misdemeanor trespassing, according to The Associated Press.

The ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas militants has largely divided students, and many of the pro-Palestinian demonstrations have called for a cease-fire in the conflict, which began Oct. 7. Although most of the demonstrations have reportedly been peaceful, it has sparked concerns about antisemitic rhetoric and fears over Jewish students’ safety on these college campuses.

The demonstrations faced condemnation from the White House, lawmakers and local officials. 

“While every American has the right to peaceful protest, calls for violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly Antisemitic, unconscionable, and dangerous — they have absolutely no place on any college campus, or anywhere in the United States of America,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement shared with The Hill.

The Associated Press contributed.