United States of America - April 2024

More than 2,000 students and others have been detained or arrested following pro-Palestinian protests and encampments across college campuses. The student movement began at Columbia University in an effort to pressure the university to sever all financial ties with Israel. The situation escalated on 30 April, when the president of Columbia University requested that the New York City Police Department arrest all students encamped on university grounds. Similar demonstrations have taken place across the country when the demands of protesters to disclose all academic ties with Israel and divest have not been met. Many students have been suspended and in some rare cases even threatened with expulsion. Protests and encampments have sparked a nationwide debate and divided the country over America's longtime support for Israel. There have been multiple reports that antisemitic incidents have marred some of the demonstrations, as well as some reports of counter-protester violence.  

The New York Times, National Public Radio, Public Safety: Colombia University, Cable News Network, Vox