Police dismantled encampments and detained numerous pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania on Friday morning, as part of recent crackdowns on protests sweeping US campuses.
In Philadelphia, officers in riot gear cleared the encampment at the University of Pennsylvania, arresting about 33 individuals and disposing of protesters’ belongings. Similarly, at Massachusetts Institute of Technology near Boston, riot police arrested at least 10 student protesters before dismantling the encampment.
These actions represent the latest attempts by university and local authorities to quell demonstrations at numerous campuses nationwide, as students advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza and urge their schools to divest from companies linked to Israel.
University leaders have cited safety concerns and the disruption to campus activities as reasons for ending the encampments, particularly with commencement ceremonies approaching.
MIT President Sally Kornbluth noted that the arrests followed escalating clashes between opposing protest groups and described the situation as untenable for the community.
Penn Interim President J. Larry Jameson emphasized the impact on campus safety, citing reports of harassment, defacement of landmarks, and incidents of denial of entry to the encampment.
Since the initial mass arrests at Columbia University, thousands of demonstrators have been detained across the US and in Washington, D.C., during protests at over 100 locations. Some experts caution that widespread detentions may exacerbate tensions rather than deter protests.
Similar protests have emerged at universities in other countries as well, such as in western Canada, where protesters were removed from the University of Calgary campus using non-lethal means.
