Pro-Palestinian demonstrators faced arrests at several U.S. university campuses on Saturday, as activists persisted in their calls for a ceasefire in Israel’s conflict with Hamas and other demands.
At Indiana University in Bloomington, 23 protesters were arrested by campus police for pitching tents and camping on university grounds, which violated campus policies. The Indiana State Police collaborated with university authorities to enforce the regulations, resulting in protesters being charged with criminal trespass and resisting arrest.
Similar protests have erupted across American college campuses, sparked by the recent mass arrest of over 100 individuals at Columbia University. Alongside advocating for a ceasefire, protesters are urging their universities to divest from companies associated with Israel’s military, halt U.S. military aid to Israel, and provide amnesty to students and faculty disciplined for protesting.
University administrations have responded by enforcing campus policies against hate speech and unauthorized camping. Massachusetts State Police assisted in clearing a protest encampment at Northeastern University in Boston, leading to the arrest of 102 protesters for trespassing. Northeastern University noted that the protest, initially a student-led demonstration, was later joined by outside organizers.
Similarly, Arizona State University saw 69 protesters arrested by campus police after creating an encampment and refusing to disperse. The university clarified that most of the individuals arrested were not affiliated with ASU.
