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Student Gaza protests: top Republicans call on Biden to send in federal officers Student Gaza protests: top Republicans call on Biden to send in federal officers
(about 1 hour later)
Letter from 25 senators including Mitch McConnell says president ‘must act immediately to restore order’ on university campusesLetter from 25 senators including Mitch McConnell says president ‘must act immediately to restore order’ on university campuses
Senior Republican US senators on Tuesday waded into growing tensions at leading universities over the Israel-Gaza war, demanding the Biden administration send in federal law enforcement officers to curb pro-Palestinian protests that have led to hundreds of arrests.Senior Republican US senators on Tuesday waded into growing tensions at leading universities over the Israel-Gaza war, demanding the Biden administration send in federal law enforcement officers to curb pro-Palestinian protests that have led to hundreds of arrests.
The Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell, and his deputy, John Thune, wrote to the US attorney general, Merrick Garland, and the education secretary, Miguel Cardona, with strong language calling demonstrators “anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist mobs”. Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, and John Thune, his deputy, wrote to Merrick Garland, the US attorney general, and Miguel Cardona, the education secretary, with strong language calling demonstrators “antisemitic, pro-terrorist mobs”.
Police had arrested about 150 protesters at pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Yale and New York University on Monday night, while Columbia University announced that classes would be taught remotely for the rest of the semester, as anger boiled over following more than 100 arrests there last week. Police arrested about 150 protesters at pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Yale and New York University on Monday night, while Columbia University announced that classes would be taught remotely for the rest of the semester, as anger boiled over following more than 100 arrests there last week.
Some university leaders, most notably at Columbia, are facing calls for resignation this week and fierce criticism – from those outraged at the protests and those outraged at the crackdown on the protests. Some university leaders, most notably at Columbia, are facing fierce criticism and calls for resignation this week from those outraged at the protests and those outraged at the crackdown on the protests.
On Tuesday afternoon, 25 Republican senators led by McConnell wrote: “The Department of Education and federal law enforcement must act immediately to restore order, prosecute the mobs who have perpetuated [sic] violence and threats against Jewish students, revoke the visas of all foreign nationals (such as exchange students) who have taken part in promoting terrorism, and hold accountable school administrators who have stood by instead of protecting their students.”On Tuesday afternoon, 25 Republican senators led by McConnell wrote: “The Department of Education and federal law enforcement must act immediately to restore order, prosecute the mobs who have perpetuated [sic] violence and threats against Jewish students, revoke the visas of all foreign nationals (such as exchange students) who have taken part in promoting terrorism, and hold accountable school administrators who have stood by instead of protecting their students.”
The Missouri senator Josh Hawley and Arkansas senator Tom Cotton on Monday had called for Joe Biden to send national guard troops on to campus. The Missouri senator Josh Hawley and Arkansas senator Tom Cotton on Monday called for Joe Biden to send national guard troops on to campuses.
On the Yale University campus in New Haven, Connecticut, authorities arrested at least 47 protesters on Monday evening, the university said in a statement. Students who were arrested will be referred for disciplinary action.On the Yale University campus in New Haven, Connecticut, authorities arrested at least 47 protesters on Monday evening, the university said in a statement. Students who were arrested will be referred for disciplinary action.
Several hundred people had been protesting at Yale, including hunger strikers, demanding the university divest from military weapons manufacturers and other companies with ties to Israel.Several hundred people had been protesting at Yale, including hunger strikers, demanding the university divest from military weapons manufacturers and other companies with ties to Israel.
And in downtown Manhattan, police clashed with protesters at New York University. There were reports of officers using pepper spray as demonstrators tried to block a police bus from leaving the scene with detained students, and more than 100 people were arrested.And in downtown Manhattan, police clashed with protesters at New York University. There were reports of officers using pepper spray as demonstrators tried to block a police bus from leaving the scene with detained students, and more than 100 people were arrested.
NYU spokesperson John Beckman, in a statement said “that there were intimidating chants and several antisemitic incidents reported.” NYU spokesperson John Beckman in a statement said “that there were intimidating chants and several antisemitic incidents reported”.
NYU professors wrote an open letter signed from the executive committee of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) at the university denying that any NYU-affiliated protesters had engaged in antisemitism or intimidation of others via the demonstration, and decrying heavy-handed tactics by the police.NYU professors wrote an open letter signed from the executive committee of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) at the university denying that any NYU-affiliated protesters had engaged in antisemitism or intimidation of others via the demonstration, and decrying heavy-handed tactics by the police.
The letter said that NYU leadership’s decision to call the New York Police Department (NYPD) was “capricious” and noted that many protesters are people of color and that NYPD has a history of brutality against this demographic. The letter said that NYU leadership’s decision to call the New York police department (NYPD) was “capricious” and noted that many protesters are people of color and that NYPD has a history of brutality against this demographic.
The letter said: “The point of the protest was to express support for the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank” and accused NYU of being complicit “in the genocide of the Palestinian people” and “NYU’s investment in the weapons manufacturing that facilitates such genocide”. The letter said: “The point of the protest was to express support for the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank”, accused NYU of being complicit “in the genocide of the Palestinian people” and referred to “NYU’s investment in the weapons manufacturing that facilitates such genocide”.
Protesters tussled with officers on Monday night and chanted: “We will not stop, we will not rest. Disclose. Divest.”Protesters tussled with officers on Monday night and chanted: “We will not stop, we will not rest. Disclose. Divest.”
The police crackdowns came after Columbia University witnessed a huge walkout by faculty on Monday in solidarity with students who were arrested last week after setting up a camp protest.The police crackdowns came after Columbia University witnessed a huge walkout by faculty on Monday in solidarity with students who were arrested last week after setting up a camp protest.
Bassam Khawaja, a lecturer at Columbia law school and supervising attorney at the school’s human rights clinic, told the Guardian he was “shocked and appalled that the president went immediately to the New York police department”. Bassam Khawaja, a lecturer at Columbia law school and supervising attorney at the school’s human rights clinic, said he was “shocked and appalled that the president went immediately to the New York police department”.
“This was by all accounts, a non-violent protest,” he said. “It was a group of students camping out on the lawn in the middle of campus. It’s not any different from everyday life on campus.” “This was by all accounts a non-violent protest,” he said. “It was a group of students camping out on the lawn in the middle of campus. It’s not any different from everyday life on campus.”
After the crackdown at Columbia, the latest round of demonstrations spread, including pitching tents on campus for round-the-clock protests. After the crackdown at Columbia, the latest round of demonstrations spread, including tents being pitched on campus for round-the-clock protests.
Students at Brown, Princeton and Northwestern held protests on Friday and over the weekend. Students at Brown, Princeton and Northwestern universities held protests on Friday and over the weekend.
And in an open letter written on Monday in support of the Columbia student protesters, faculty and staff at Princeton University, in New Jersey, called on Columbia to remove the NYPD from campus and immediately reinstate students “wrongfully” suspended for “right to speech and peaceful assembly”.And in an open letter written on Monday in support of the Columbia student protesters, faculty and staff at Princeton University, in New Jersey, called on Columbia to remove the NYPD from campus and immediately reinstate students “wrongfully” suspended for “right to speech and peaceful assembly”.
Students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Emerson College and Boston University, in the Boston area, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are witnessing protests. Students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Emerson College and Boston University, in the Boston area, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are protesting.
At Cal Poly Humboldt, a public university in Arcata, California, students barricaded themselves in a building for a sit-in, prompting the campus to close.At Cal Poly Humboldt, a public university in Arcata, California, students barricaded themselves in a building for a sit-in, prompting the campus to close.
At the University of California, Berkeley, known as the birthplace of the 1960s free speech movement, about 40 tents were set up on the steps of Sproul Plaza on campus on Tuesday, where students listened to speakers calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the university to divest in holdings with companies doing business with Israel. At the University of California, Berkeley, known as the birthplace of the 1960s free speech movement, about 40 tents were set up on the steps of Sproul Plaza on campus on Tuesday, where students listened to speakers calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and for the university to divest in holdings with companies doing business with Israel.
“We are demanding a direct acknowledgment and condemnation of this genocide [in Gaza],” said Matt Kovac, a member of the UC Berkeley Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine, adding that they stood in solidarity with protesters at Columbia and Yale.“We are demanding a direct acknowledgment and condemnation of this genocide [in Gaza],” said Matt Kovac, a member of the UC Berkeley Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine, adding that they stood in solidarity with protesters at Columbia and Yale.
One of the students camping out was Malak Afaneh, a law student and a Palestinian activist who was recently at the center of a protest turned awry after the Berkeley Law professor Catherine Fisk was caught on video at an event at her house trying to yank the student’s microphone away. One of the students camping out was Malak Afaneh, a law student and a Palestinian activist who was recently at the center of a controversy after pro-Palestinian students disrupted an event at a law professor’s house.
“We have continued to show that we are standing with the people in Palestine who deal with much worse, and we will not stop until divestment is achieved,” Afaneh said.“We have continued to show that we are standing with the people in Palestine who deal with much worse, and we will not stop until divestment is achieved,” Afaneh said.
Meanwhile, Robert Kraft, a major donor to Columbia University and the owner of the Patriots NFL football team who funded the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life at Columbia, on Monday announced he would pull his support “until corrective action is taken” on campus.Meanwhile, Robert Kraft, a major donor to Columbia University and the owner of the Patriots NFL football team who funded the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life at Columbia, on Monday announced he would pull his support “until corrective action is taken” on campus.
In contrast, Jameel Jaffer, director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, wrote to the institution president, Nemat Minouche Shafik, saying many aspects of the handling of pro-Palestinian protests was “unjustifiably harsh”.
Amid a diversity of views, some Jewish students have joined the pro-Palestinian protests, others are staying away and some have said they feel unsafe.Amid a diversity of views, some Jewish students have joined the pro-Palestinian protests, others are staying away and some have said they feel unsafe.
The Columbia University president, Nemat Minouche Shafik, called in police last week and has come under criticism from many parties, including calls from some members of Congress to resign. Shafik called in police last week and has come under criticism from many parties, including calls from some members of Congress to resign.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed reportingReuters and The Associated Press contributed reporting