Dozens of people were detained during a pro-Palestinian rally at Yale University on Monday, following Columbia University’s decision to transition to remote learning in response to protesters erecting tent encampments on its New York City campus the previous week.
The demonstrators at Yale, situated in New Haven, Connecticut, disrupted traffic in the vicinity of the campus, advocating for the university to divest from manufacturers of military weaponry. Video footage circulated on social media capturing the events. Over 45 protesters were apprehended. Yale University authorities did not provide a comment when approached for a response.
The protests at Yale, Columbia, and numerous other academic institutions across the nation were sparked by the recent escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Since October 7, human rights advocates have observed a surge in bias incidents and hate crimes directed towards individuals of Jewish, Arab, and Muslim backgrounds. Heightened concern was evident with the commencement of the Jewish holiday of Passover on Monday.
In an email addressed to the faculty and students of Columbia University on Monday, President Nemat Minouche Shafik announced the suspension of in-person classes, opting for online instruction in a bid to “reduce tension and allow for collective reflection on the way forward.”
The previous week, President Shafik enlisted the New York Police Department to disband a tent encampment established by protesters on Columbia’s main lawn, demanding the university’s withdrawal from investments associated with Israel—an action criticized by some faculty members. The university cited breaches of regulations for dismantling the encampment, resulting in the arrest of over 100 students from Columbia and neighboring Barnard College on trespassing charges. Subsequently, Columbia and Barnard have suspended multiple students involved in the protests.
The New York Police Department has deployed a significant number of officers to the Manhattan streets surrounding Columbia’s campus, where confrontations between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli factions have unfolded. Despite reports of Israeli students having their flags confiscated, no instances of physical harm have been reported, according to Tarik Shappard, the NYPD’s chief spokesperson.
Student protesters, who spent several nights outdoors on the lawn, have re-established their encampment, organizing prayers and delivering speeches condemning Israel and advocating for Palestinian rights. Similar pro-Palestinian encampments have emerged at other educational institutions, including Boston’s Emerson College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in nearby Cambridge.
Student organizers from the Columbia University encampment rebuffed accusations of antisemitism, highlighting the diverse composition of their group and condemning hate speech and bigotry. They reiterated their demands for divestment, financial transparency, and amnesty for disciplined students and faculty members.
In her campus-wide communication, President Shafik called for dialogue and compromise, emphasizing the need to prevent any single group from dictating terms or disrupting critical academic activities.
