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What do pro-Palestinian student protesters at US universities want? | |
(about 1 hour 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, including dozens on Tuesday night at Columbia University in New York City. | More than a thousand demonstrators have been arrested, including dozens on Tuesday night at Columbia University in New York City. |
Many universities are struggling to deal with encampments on college grounds, just days before graduation ceremonies. | Many universities are struggling to deal with encampments on college grounds, just days before graduation ceremonies. |
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 happened at Columbia University? | What happened at Columbia University? |
A police raid on Tuesday night cleared the encampment and removed protesters from an academic building they had taken over. | A police raid on Tuesday night cleared the encampment and removed protesters from an academic building they had taken over. |
Officers in riot gear climbed ladders to enter the second storey of Hamilton Hall, before taking occupants away in police buses. | Officers in riot gear climbed ladders to enter the second storey of Hamilton Hall, before taking occupants away in police buses. |
Police later said they had cleared all protesters from the site, bringing the standoff to an end, for now. | Police later said they had cleared all protesters from the site, bringing the standoff to an end, for now. |
It began earlier this month. As Columbia president Minouche Shafik testified before Congress about antisemitism on campus, hundreds of students pitched tents on the Upper Manhattan campus. | It began earlier this month. As Columbia president Minouche Shafik testified before Congress about antisemitism on campus, hundreds of students pitched tents on the Upper Manhattan campus. |
How police raid at Columbia ignited protests nationwide | How police raid at Columbia ignited protests nationwide |
Mass arrests the following day failed to prevent the protests from continuing and they sparked action at more colleges across the US. In-person classes at Columbia were cancelled. | Mass arrests the following day failed to prevent the protests from continuing and they sparked action at more colleges across the US. In-person classes at Columbia were cancelled. |
Talks to resolve the dispute broke down and when the occupation spread to a university building, the police were called in again. | Talks to resolve the dispute broke down and when the occupation spread to a university building, the police were called in again. |
The university said the hall had been vandalised and blockaded and the police would remain until mid-May to prevent further encampments. | The university said the hall had been vandalised and blockaded and the police would remain until mid-May to prevent further encampments. |
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 encampments across the country, including: | 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 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: 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: 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 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. |
The latest round of arrests on Monday were made in Texas, Utah and Virginia. | The latest round of arrests on Monday were made in Texas, Utah and Virginia. |
But agreement was reached between Northwestern University and protesters which limits the size of the encampment. | |
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 |