US / “Stop the Genocide” – University protests escalate over Gaza

Thousands of protesters filled the streets of Brooklyn in New York yesterday, Tuesday, as the mobilizations in universities throughout the US by request to stop Israel’s military operations and the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip.

Police in New York have begun arresting pro-Palestine protesters who are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza where Israel has bombed more than 30,000 people to death, most of them women and children, with the backing of the United States government of Joe Biden, following the October… pic.twitter.com/jihyKiQvBp

— Simon Ateba (@simonstheba) April 24, 2024

The growing protests show that in the US – historically the Israel’s most important ally – discontent deepens about the turn the war has taken.

Protesters have been disrupting for months the pre-election rallies of American President Joe Bidenwhile in the last few days small ones have been set up in various universities camps with scenes from the protesters, which include both Jews and Muslimswhere doctrinal prayers, speeches or musical performances are hosted.

Yesterday in Brooklyn the police proceeded to arrests of protesterswith the Council on American-Islamic Relations criticizing the use of violence by the forces of the order as undermining academic freedom.

Civil rights organizationsat the same time, have expressed their concern about the restriction of freedom of expression.

“There are no universities left in Gaza. So we chose to claim our university for the people of Palestine,” said Sophie Askanazi, a Jewish student at Columbia who was arrested and expelled from the university.

Other students accused the university leadership of not protecting their right to protest or support the Human Rights.

“As a Palestinian student I don’t feel safe either for the past six months and this is directly due to Columbia’s unilateral announcements and its inaction,” complained Mahmoud Khalil.

Students at university Berkeley, California — known for its student activism in the 1960s — set up tents in solidarity with protesters at other universities.

Demonstrators face off with NYPD officials outside the entrance to Columbia as they stand in solidarity with the ongoing protests in support of Palestinians happening on the Columbia University campus in New York City. Photo by @caitochs pic.twitter.com/71A4mDqNx8

— corinne_perkins (@corinne_perkins) April 24, 2024

The Columbia suspended in-person classes on Monday and announced yesterday that for the rest of the semester classes will be hybrid, meaning students will be able to choose to be in-person or not.

Cal Poly Humboldt, a public university in Arcata, California, suspended operations after students staged a sit-in.

At the University of Minnesota, the police intervened to remove the tents set up by the students, at the request of the administration.

Demonstrators protest arrested close to Sen. Chuck Schumer’s New York househttps://t.co/ZcW7eT8pwP

Anti-Israel agitators staged a “sedar on the street” protest in entrance of the Brooklyn house of Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer in protest of American assist for Israel. …

— WhizBuddy (@WhizBuddy) April 24, 2024

In Brooklyn, about 2,000 people gathered in a plaza near the home of Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, a staunch supporter of Israel and now the highest-ranking Jew in the US administration, chanting “Stop arming Israel,” “Stop funding genocide,” “Let Gaza Live”.