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What do pro-Palestinian student protesters at US universities want? | What do pro-Palestinian student protesters at US universities want? |
(about 16 hours later) | |
Dozens of college campuses across the US have been taken over by students protesting against the war in Gaza. | Dozens of college campuses across the US have been taken over by students protesting against the war in Gaza. |
More than a thousand demonstrators have been arrested, as universities struggle to deal with encampments, days before graduation ceremonies. | |
Police moved in to clear several on Wednesday. In Los Angeles, officers have started to dismantle protesters' barricades at UCLA after encircling the campus. | |
Follow police raid in UCLA happening now | |
Why are students protesting over the war in Gaza? | Why are students protesting over the war in Gaza? |
Since the 7 October attack by Hamas and Israel's retaliatory assault, students have launched rallies, sit-ins, hunger strikes and, most recently, encampments against the war. | Since the 7 October attack by Hamas and Israel's retaliatory assault, students have launched rallies, sit-ins, hunger strikes and, most recently, encampments against the war. |
They are demanding that their schools, many with massive endowments, financially divest from Israel. | They are demanding that their schools, many with massive endowments, financially divest from Israel. |
Divestment means to sell off stock in Israeli companies, or to otherwise drop financial ties. | Divestment means to sell off stock in Israeli companies, or to otherwise drop financial ties. |
Student activists say that companies doing business in Israel, or with Israeli organisations, are complicit in its ongoing war in Gaza - as are colleges investing in those companies. | Student activists say that companies doing business in Israel, or with Israeli organisations, are complicit in its ongoing war in Gaza - as are colleges investing in those companies. |
University endowments fund everything from research labs to scholarship funds, mostly using returns from millions - and billions - of dollars in investments. | University endowments fund everything from research labs to scholarship funds, mostly using returns from millions - and billions - of dollars in investments. |
Why are Israel and Hamas fighting in Gaza? | Why are Israel and Hamas fighting in Gaza? |
What is happening at UCLA? | |
Hundreds of police officers are at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), telling pro-Palestinian protesters to disperse or face arrest. | |
They have surrounded the campus and started taking down barricades put up by protesters at the encampment. | |
BBC reporters at the scene say protesters locked arms and took up makeshift riot gear and hard hats as busloads more police arrived. | |
A day earlier there was violence when masked pro-Israel protesters attacked the pro-Palestinian camp. | |
The police were criticised by the California governor for not intervening early enough to help. | |
Why did these protests start? | |
It began earlier this month, as the president of Columbia University in New York City testified before Congress about antisemitism on campus. | |
Hundreds of students pitched tents on the Upper Manhattan campus and the police moved in a day later, sparking a wave of action at more colleges across the US. | |
In-person classes at Columbia were cancelled but the protests continued, eventually moving into an academic building. | |
How police raid at Columbia ignited protests nationwide | How police raid at Columbia ignited protests nationwide |
The police were called in again due to vandalism and risks to public safety, the university said. | |
More than 100 arrests were made as both building and encampment were cleared. | |
Watch: See how Gaza campus protests spread across the US | Watch: See how Gaza campus protests spread across the US |
Watch: See how Gaza campus protests spread across the US | Watch: See how Gaza campus protests spread across the US |
Where else are students protesting? | Where else are students protesting? |
The escalating crisis at Columbia inspired similar protests and encampments across the country, including: | The escalating crisis at Columbia inspired similar protests and encampments across the country, including: |
Northeast region: George Washington; Brown; Yale; Harvard; Emerson; NYU; Georgetown; American; University of Maryland; Johns Hopkins; Tufts; Cornell; University of Pennsylvania; Princeton; Temple; Northeastern; MIT; The New School; University of Rochester; University of Pittsburgh | Northeast region: George Washington; Brown; Yale; Harvard; Emerson; NYU; Georgetown; American; University of Maryland; Johns Hopkins; Tufts; Cornell; University of Pennsylvania; Princeton; Temple; Northeastern; MIT; The New School; University of Rochester; University of Pittsburgh |
West Coast: California State Polytechnic, Humboldt; University of Southern California; University of California, Los Angeles; University of California, Berkeley; University of Washington | West Coast: California State Polytechnic, Humboldt; University of Southern California; University of California, Los Angeles; University of California, Berkeley; University of Washington |
Midwest region: University of Wisconsin; Northwestern; Washington University in St Louis; Indiana University; University of Michigan; Ohio State; University of Minnesota; Miami University; University of Ohio; Columbia College Chicago; University of Chicago | Midwest region: University of Wisconsin; Northwestern; Washington University in St Louis; Indiana University; University of Michigan; Ohio State; University of Minnesota; Miami University; University of Ohio; Columbia College Chicago; University of Chicago |
The South: Tulane; Emory; Vanderbilt; University of North Carolina, Charlotte; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Kennesaw State; Florida State; Virginia Tech; University of Georgia, Athens | The South: Tulane; Emory; Vanderbilt; University of North Carolina, Charlotte; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Kennesaw State; Florida State; Virginia Tech; University of Georgia, Athens |
Southwest: University of Texas at Austin; Rice; Arizona State | Southwest: University of Texas at Austin; Rice; Arizona State |
Pro-Palestinian protesters have also gathered over the past week on university campuses in Australia, Canada, France, Italy and the UK. | Pro-Palestinian protesters have also gathered over the past week on university campuses in Australia, Canada, France, Italy and the UK. |
How have universities handled the protests? | How have universities handled the protests? |
Some are negotiating with student activists while others are issuing ultimatums that have led to police being called in. | Some are negotiating with student activists while others are issuing ultimatums that have led to police being called in. |
An agreement was reached between Northwestern University near Chicago and protesters which limits the size of the encampment. | |
Another agreement was reached at Brown University where school officials agreed to hold a vote on divestment in October in exchange for students removing the encampment. | Another agreement was reached at Brown University where school officials agreed to hold a vote on divestment in October in exchange for students removing the encampment. |
Crackdown or compromise? A tale of two protests | |
National politicians have called on colleges to do more, highlighting reports of antisemitism at some of these protests. | National politicians have called on colleges to do more, highlighting reports of antisemitism at some of these protests. |
Jewish students at several campuses have told the BBC about incidents that made them feel uncomfortable or fearful. | Jewish students at several campuses have told the BBC about incidents that made them feel uncomfortable or fearful. |
These ranged from chants and signs supporting Hamas, a proscribed terror group, to physical altercations and perceived threats. | These ranged from chants and signs supporting Hamas, a proscribed terror group, to physical altercations and perceived threats. |
Has protesting worked? | Has protesting worked? |
Pro-Palestinian campus groups have for years called on their institutions to support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, as a means of pushing back against Israel. | Pro-Palestinian campus groups have for years called on their institutions to support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, as a means of pushing back against Israel. |
No US university has ever committed to the BDS framework, although some have cut specific financial ties in the past. | No US university has ever committed to the BDS framework, although some have cut specific financial ties in the past. |
While divestment would have a negligible impact, if any, on the war in Gaza, protesters say it would shed light on those who profit from war and help build awareness of their issue. | While divestment would have a negligible impact, if any, on the war in Gaza, protesters say it would shed light on those who profit from war and help build awareness of their issue. |
Why are students recalling protests over Vietnam war? | Why are students recalling protests over Vietnam war? |
Activists at Columbia and elsewhere have highlighted the protests at the end of the 1960s against US involvement in the Vietnam War. | Activists at Columbia and elsewhere have highlighted the protests at the end of the 1960s against US involvement in the Vietnam War. |
Thousands were arrested and there were violent clashes with police. | Thousands were arrested and there were violent clashes with police. |
Four students in Ohio were killed in 1970 when the National Guard opened fire. | Four students in Ohio were killed in 1970 when the National Guard opened fire. |
Their deaths triggered a nationwide student strike and hundreds of universities closed. | Their deaths triggered a nationwide student strike and hundreds of universities closed. |
Related Topics | Related Topics |
Israel-Gaza war | Israel-Gaza war |
Students | Students |
United States | United States |