Scores of graduating students staged a walkout from Yale University’s commencement exercises on Monday, protesting the Israeli war in Gaza, Yale’s financial ties to weapons makers, and its response to pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus. The walkout drew cheers from fellow students but was otherwise peaceful, with no mention made from the stage.
Palestinians commemorated the 1948 “Nakba” on Wednesday, marking the time when hundreds of thousands were dispossessed of their homes in the war at the birth of the state of Israel. The Nakba has been a defining experience for Palestinians for more than 75 years, shaping their national identity. This year’s commemoration focused on the plight of around two million Palestinians in Gaza, most living in temporary shelters after being displaced by the Israeli campaign. More than 5.9 million Palestinians are currently registered as refugees in various locations, including refugee camps that have grown into urban townships. Events marking the Nakba anniversary were also held in Ramallah, where a student was killed in a clash with Israeli forces.
About a dozen students were arrested during a sit-in at a Denver college campus, but emerged from detainment to cheers from fellow pro-Palestinian protesters. The protesters are demanding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, university divestment from companies profiting from the war, and amnesty for disciplined or fired protesters. Academics believe that maintaining the energy of the movement once students leave campus will be a challenge, but the protests have spread across the country and to smaller universities, showing staying power. The movement may evolve or fade away, but students in Denver are committed to continuing their protests until their demands are met, even through summer break and into the fall. Police responses to protests have ignited a sense of activism in a new generation of students, and there are expectations for a summer of protest leading up to the presidential election. Michael Heaney, a lecturer in politics, believes that the protests are just one tactic in a wider movement and that they could grow if Israel’s offensive in Gaza continues. Despite the potential for the campus to become a ghost town after graduation, student protesters in Denver are determined to continue their encampment.
Pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Amsterdam built barricades using desks and railings to block the entrance until the institution severs all ties with Israel. Riot police knocked down barricades at another UvA site and detained 169 people. The protesters are part of a wave of sit-ins and actions at universities in Europe against Israel’s war in Gaza. The university has exchange programs with three universities in Israel halted due to security concerns and cooperates with Israeli scientists or companies in eight European research projects. Ireland’s Trinity College Dublin announced it would divest from Israeli companies linked to settlements in occupied Palestinian territory following student protests.
Los Angeles police cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Southern California without making arrests on Sunday following turmoil at universities across the United States over the Israel-Hamas war. USC President Carol Folt requested police intervention as the occupation was spiraling in a dangerous direction. The camp was cleared peacefully in 64 minutes. At UCLA, Chancellor Gene Block announced the creation of a new Office of Campus Safety after clashes between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Senator Bernie Sanders compared campus protests to those against the Vietnam War. A student at the University of Mississippi was expelled for making racist gestures towards a Black female protester. At the University of Texas in Austin, pro-Palestinian demonstrators rallied peacefully, calling for universities to divest from Israel and push for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Police arrested at least 25 pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Virginia and cleared an encampment as tensions flared on campus. The protesters were violating university policies by setting up tents and using amplified sound. The protests are part of a larger movement across U.S. campuses calling for an end to the Gaza war and divestment from companies supporting Israel. Other campuses, like the University of Michigan, saw peaceful disruptions at graduation ceremonies by pro-Palestinian protesters. Many schools have called in police to quell protests, resulting in over 2,000 arrests nationwide. The protests have become a political flashpoint in a divisive U.S. election year.
Students at Trinity College Dublin and Lausanne University in Switzerland staged occupations to protest against Israel’s war in Gaza, joining demonstrations at U.S. campuses. In Dublin, students built an encampment that led the university to restrict campus access and close the Book of Kells exhibition. The protesters demanded Trinity cut academic ties with Israel and divest from companies with ties to Israel. In Lausanne, around 100 students occupied a building to support demands, including an end to scientific cooperation with Israel. The university said the occupation could continue until Monday as long as it did not disrupt campus work.
Students at Trinity College Dublin have built an encampment in protest of Israel’s war in Gaza, leading to restricted campus access and the closure of the Book of Kells exhibition, a top tourist attraction in Ireland. The protest was sparked by a fine imposed on the students’ union by the university, not solely related to the Gaza conflict. The protesters are demanding that the university cut ties with Israeli institutions and divest from companies connected to Israel. Ireland has a history of supporting Palestinian rights, with plans to formally recognize Palestine as a state.
Law enforcement officers gathered at the University of California at Los Angeles to clear out a pro-Palestinian protest camp that was attacked by pro-Israel supporters the night before. The police were met with jeers and chants from hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists as they moved in to remove the encampment. Similar protests and arrests of pro-Palestinian activists have been reported at other universities across the United States in response to the conflict between Hamas and Israel.
Columbia University has begun suspending pro-Palestinian student activists who refused to dismantle a protest camp on campus after negotiations failed. The crackdown follows similar protests at other university campuses across the U.S. Students are demanding divestment, transparency in university finances, and amnesty for those disciplined for participating in protests. The protests have sparked intense debate over freedom of expression and hate speech, with some students facing censure for criticizing the Israeli government or expressing support for Palestinian rights. Other campuses, like UCLA, have seen clashes between pro-Israeli activists and pro-Palestinian protesters. Law enforcement tactics, such as the use of pepper spray and flash-bang charges, have been criticized. Arrests have occurred at various universities, including Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech.