As graduation ceremonies approach, police have intervened to break up several pro-Palestinian demonstrator encampments at various university campuses across the United States, leading to arrests and heightened tensions.
At the University of Arizona in Tucson, officers deployed tear gas early Friday morning to disperse protesters who refused to leave their encampment, despite warnings from university officials. According to a statement from the school, the protesters had erected a structure made of wooden pallets and debris after 5 p.m., violating campus policy.
The university’s president, Robert C. Robbins, had instituted a “zero-tolerance approach” to enforcing campus rules. CBS Tucson affiliate KOLD-TV confirmed that bottles were being thrown at police, who also fired rubber bullets as they tore down the fortified encampment.
The protesters eventually left the campus and moved across the street before police fired more gas, prompting them to leave the area.
Meanwhile, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a large police force entered a pro-Palestinian protester encampment around 4 a.m. on Friday. CBS Boston reports that officers in riot gear surrounded the tent encampment and began breaking down tables and tents.
Protesters claimed that about 10 people were arrested during the police action. Despite the clearing of the encampment, protesters held a rally later in the morning, vowing to continue their movement.
In Philadelphia, police from the University of Pennsylvania and the city moved in on a pro-Palestinian encampment on College Green Friday morning. The encampment, which had been in place for 16 days, saw multiple people detained, according to CBS Philadelphia.
The police action came less than 24 hours after Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called on the university to disband the encampment.
At Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, confusion and tensions have been rising as pro-Palestine protesters remain despite repeated requests from the university administration to end the encampment, which has been in place for 11 days.
CBS Baltimore reports that uncertainty about who is participating in the encampment led to confusion among students after the Student Affairs department sent a letter to all Johns Hopkins students on Wednesday evening.
These incidents highlight the growing tensions between university administrations, law enforcement, and pro-Palestinian activists on college campuses across the United States. As graduation ceremonies approach, the situation remains fluid, with the potential for further clashes and protests in the coming days.
Credit: CBSNews
