Universities, Police Crack Down on Campus Unrest About Israel
Photo by Mohammed Abubakr on Pexels.com
At 4:40 AM on Tuesday, May 7, University of Chicago police raided protest encampments at the University of Chicago. In a statement to the public, their office of communications noted that this “unauthorized” 8-day encampment “violated the University’s commitment to free expression by monopolizing the center of campus – entirely obstructing physical access to a large part of the Quad, disrupting classes in nearby buildings, and contributing to an increasingly unsafe environment of confrontation.”
However, some eyewitnesses challenged the University’s narrative. According to Associate Professor Eman Abdelhadi, “Students were not given warning. Police watched and waited until faculty and legal observers left.”
This comes less than a week after encampments at the University of California – Los Angeles were dismantled. On Thursday, May 2, Los Angeles police began clearing protest encampments. The Guardian US reported that “[the university] called in the LAPD and highway patrol, who arrived early in the morning in body armor, face shields and helmets.”
According to CNN, Yale administrators “demanded students must end their actions or face discipline, including suspension for violating university rules and arrest for trespassing.” Columbia University took their threats a step further, calling on the NYPD to arrest student protestors.
From footage captured on Twitter, a barrage of NYPD officers entered the campus on April 30 at the request of the University president, Şeyma Bayram reported. Afterward, 300 people were arrested, which is just 15% of the total arrested across states.
Although Columbia was the “epicenter” of these protests, according to CNN, they have spread across all fifty states. Really, we are seeing a repeat of 2020 with protests happening across the country.
We reached out to UCLA, Brown University, Yale University, and Columbia University for comment, but they have not responded at the time of publication.
However, some decision-makers disagree with the protests. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that protestors at Florida universities could be expelled, according to WTSP. He is not the only government official to express this sentiment.
President Joe Biden also chimed in on protests. In an address reported by ABC News, he said, “Violent protest is not protected.” Yet, in many videos, we see protestors reciting chants. On the contrary, videos of police show them escalating the violence. For example, when Columbia students peaceably assembled, a video by CBS shows them being forcibly removed.
After the video came out of a gang of police storming Columbia in shock. The question became: if the police could do this at an Ivy League school, what could they do to average civilians? As the Israeli genocide worsens, some have begun tweeting “United States of Israel” to criticize the way the US government has let Israel shoehorn American civil rights.
About This Rwebel
Javanna is a multifaceted professional with a rich background in writing, education, and media. She holds a Master of Science in Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in English, which has fueled her passion for storytelling and communication. Javanna is the CEO and founder of Rwebel, where she produces books, articles, and multimedia videos about culture and difference.
