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What do student protesters at US universities want? What do student protesters at US universities want?
(about 7 hours later)
Protests against the war in Gaza are now roiling dozens of college campuses across the US, many of them storied and highly respected universities. Why are students pitching tents and refusing to leave? And what, specifically, do they want to achieve? Dozens of college campuses across the US have been taken over by students protesting against the war in Gaza.
Tensions quickly flared at American universities after the 7 October attack by Hamas that led to the deaths of around 1,200 people in Israel, and to a retaliatory assault that has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians. Hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested as the universities struggle to deal with the encampments on college grounds just days before graduation ceremonies.
But over the past two weeks, those tensions have boiled over into an uprising that joins the ranks of Occupy Wall Street and the 1980s anti-apartheid movement and evokes memories of the protests against the Vietnam War.
As historical comparisons abound, college administrators, law enforcement and politicians are grappling with how to respond to rein in a nationwide revolt in a new era dominated by social media and 24-hour news.
Hundreds more arrests at US student protests over Gaza
Why are students protesting over the war in Gaza?Why are students protesting over the war in Gaza?
Since October, 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. Divestment means to sell or otherwise drop financial ties. They are demanding that their schools, many with massive endowments, financially divest from Israel.
Student activists say that companies doing business in or with the nation of Israel are complicit in its ongoing war on Gaza - and so are the colleges that invest in those companies. Divestment means to sell off stock in Israeli companies or otherwise to drop financial ties.
University endowments fund everything from research labs to scholarship funds, mostly using returns from millions - and billions - of dollars in investments. They own shares of large companies from Amazon to Microsoft, and put money into private equity, hedge funds and index funds. Student activists say that companies doing business in Israel or with Israeli organisations are complicit in its ongoing war on Gaza. And so are the colleges that invest in those companies.
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?
What happened at Columbia University?What happened at Columbia University?
To understand what is happening now, look back to last December, when the heads of Ivy Leagues testified before Congress about antisemitism on campus. What was seen as waffling put those officials in hot water, and led to the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania resigning. Earlier this month, as Columbia president Minouche Shafik testified before Congress about antisemitism on campus, hundreds of students pitched tents at the New York City campus.
Earlier this month, Columbia president Nemat Shafik - who has faced criticism over her own handling of campus divisions about the war - was in the Capitol Hill hot seat, and staked out a much tougher stance on antisemitism than her counterparts had done. They demanded a ceasefire in Gaza and called on university leaders to divest from Israel.
While she was traveling to Washington and testifying, hundreds of students pitched tents to camp in the centre of the New York City campus, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and calling on university leaders to divest from Israel. The university said the protest violated school policies and the city's police department was called in to break up and clear the protest. More than 100 students were arrested for trespassing.
By the encampment's second day, the city's police department was called in to break up and clear the protest. More than 100 students were arrested for trespassing, with many suspended and now potentially facing criminal charges. How police raid at Columbia ignited protests nationwide
How a police raid on Columbia protest ignited campus movement The student activists have regrouped and the protests are now in their third week. In-person classes have been stopped.
The raid appeared to anger and embolden protesters, with student activists banding together once again on campus, organising through social media. Negotiations with student organisers have broken down and some of the demonstrators have been suspended.
With classes due to end next month and final exams around the corner, these Occupy-style tactics prompted the school to shut down all in-person classes last week and urge faculty and staff to work remotely. On Tuesday the protest escalated as students took over a university building, Hamilton Hall.
As the protest spills over into a third week, President Shafik said on Monday that dialogue with student organisers to dismantle the encampment had failed, while also reiterating that the university will not divest from Israel.
Watch: See how Gaza campus protests spread across the USWatch: See how Gaza campus protests spread across the US
Watch: See how Gaza campus protests spread across the USWatch: See how Gaza campus protests spread across the US
Where else are students protesting?Where else are students protesting?
The escalating crisis at Columbia has now inspired similar encampments at private and public universities in at least 22 states and Washington DC. They include: The escalating crisis at Columbia inspired similar 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 PittsburghNortheast 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: 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 ChicagoMidwest region: 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: 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: 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 StateSouthwest: 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.
Why did USC cancel graduation? How have universities handled the protests?
On Thursday, in response to its own on-campus protests, the University of Southern California announced it had cancelled its main-stage graduation ceremony for students. Some are negotiating with student activists while others are issuing ultimatums that have led to police being called in.
Officials said they could no longer host the 10 May event, where some 65,000 students and their guests were expected, citing new safety measures that would be required. The latest round of arrests on Monday were made in Texas, Utah and Virginia.
They added that the school had received several threats to disrupt the ceremony. But agreement was reached in Boston between Northwestern University and protesters which limits the size of the encampment.
LA college cancels graduation as Gaza protests spread National politicians have called on colleges to do more, highlighting reports of antisemitism at some of these protests.
Asna Tabassum, a Muslim student of South Asian descent chosen by the school as its valedictorian, or highest-performing graduate, had earlier been barred from delivering the event's traditional valedictory speech. The school also cited safety concerns. 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.
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.
As a practical matter, endowment portfolios are often managed by asset managers rather than the universities themselves, and closely protect information about their positions in the stock market. But student activists have argued for greater transparency about these funds, even if they do not make active or direct investments to Israel. 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.
And 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, similar to how divestment from fossil fuel companies has galvanised climate activism. Why are students recalling protests over Vietnam war?
Organisers also appear to be taking some inspiration from the 1980s, when college students targeted companies doing business with apartheid South Africa and ultimately forced more than 150 schools to divest from the country. Activists at Columbia and elsewhere have highlighted the protests at the end of the 1960s against US involvement in the Vietnam War.
The events of the past fortnight have so far not achieved such success. Thousands were arrested and there were violent clashes with police.
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.
Related TopicsRelated Topics
Israel-Gaza warIsrael-Gaza war
StudentsStudents
United StatesUnited States