In recent news, several U.S. college campuses have become the battleground for protests against the Israel-Hamas war. Students at these universities are calling for financial divestments from Israel and companies linked to the conflict, leading to reports of antisemitic activity that have prompted school officials to shut down encampments.
At Northeastern University in Boston, dozens of protesters were arrested for trespassing and disorderly conduct. The school claims that the protests were infiltrated by professional organizers with no affiliation to the university and that antisemitic slurs were used during the demonstrations. However, protesters deny using hate speech and instead blame counterprotesters for instigating violence.
Similar arrests have been made at Indiana University, the University of Pennsylvania, and other schools where encampments have been set up. While Israel and its supporters label these protests as antisemitic, critics argue that the protesters are simply defending Palestinian rights peacefully.
Tensions have escalated on these campuses to the point where faculty members have passed votes of no confidence in university leadership. The University of Southern California (USC) has faced criticism for canceling a valedictorian’s speech and a filmmaker’s keynote address amid the protests.
Arizona State University also made headlines after arresting 69 protesters for setting up an unauthorized encampment. As these protests continue to take place, universities are struggling to balance freedom of speech with creating safe learning environments for their students.
Reporters from various locations, including New York, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C., have contributed to the coverage of these protests. Stay tuned to Matzav Blog for updates on this ongoing story.
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