Columbia University has initiated suspensions for students who did not comply with a deadline to disband a pro-Palestine protest encampment on campus.
What led to the suspension of students?
Columbia University set a 14:00 EST (20:00 CAT) deadline on Monday for protesters to vacate the campus encampment.
Following the deadline, the university announced the suspension of students who remained.
The protests, centred around issues including US support for Israel amid the conflict in Gaza, have seen students occupying Hamilton Hall, a site historical for student activism since the 1968 protests.
The students, under the banner of Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, have voiced demands for the university to divest from corporations that profit from Israeli activities in occupied territories and to foster safer campus environments for Palestinian students.
Pro-Palestine protests spread out across US campuses
Similar protest actions are unfolding across other campuses in the US.
For instance, at Tulane University, students set up tents on campus grounds as part of their demonstration, leading to the arrest of six protesters by university police.
Other campuses include Yale University, where numerous protestors have been arrested, and Harvard University, which has taken measures such as closing its gates to manage the protests.
The University of Michigan, New York University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have also seen similar demonstrations.
Additionally, significant protest activities have been reported at the University of Southern California and in Texas, with standoffs involving law enforcement.
What is the current situation in Gaza?
These demands come in the context of the broader conflict in Gaza, which has seen significant civilian casualties and damage.
Recent reports indicate that Israeli air and drone attacks have resulted in significant casualties, including deaths in the Nuseirat refugee camp and Gaza City.
These developments have fuelled the urgency of the protests and the demands for US universities to reevaluate their investment and foreign policy stances.
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