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Join on Telegram Rabat – Over 100 students have been arrested at universities in California and Texas as protests intensify against Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza.
The crackdown by authorities unfolded amidst a backdrop of mounting tensions, with calls for the deployment of the National Guard echoing through the halls of power.
At the forefront of this movement, students at prestigious institutions such as the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) and the University of Southern California (USC) faced police action as they rallied against what they considered “Israel’s aggressive stance” towards Gaza.
Meanwhile, on the East Coast, students at Harvard University and Brown University defiantly erected encampments in solidarity with Palestinians.
Originating from Columbia University in New York, this grassroots movement demands that universities sever financial ties with Israel and divest from companies complicit in the perpetration of Israeli aggression.
The student-led protests, characterized by their peaceful nature, have nevertheless been met with allegations of anti-Semitism and heavy-handed responses from university administrations.
The epicenter of Wednesday’s demonstrations was UT Austin, where hundreds of students staged a walkout, only to be met with swift police intervention aimed at dispersing the crowds.
In Los Angeles, USC campus security clashed with students attempting to set up encampments, leading to a significant police presence and multiple arrests.
Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, condemned the protests as “hate-filled” and advocated for the expulsion of participating students. Similarly, USC Provost Andrew Guzman cited concerns over campus safety to justify the forceful response to quell the protests.
Meanwhile, on the opposite coast, Harvard University witnessed similar defiance as students erected their own encampment in Harvard Yard, challenging the institution’s stance on divestment and advocating for the reinstatement of a pro-Palestine student group.
The backdrop to these protests remains the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, with staggering casualty figures reported by the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Despite international outcry, the toll continues to rise, with at least 34,305 Palestinians killed, 77,293 wounded and countless more displaced amidst the rubble of Israeli Occupation Forces airstrikes.
