More than 400 arrests in nine days at pro-Palestinian university protests in the US

The wave of pro-Palestinian university protests organized in the United States, has already resulted in more than 400 people arrestedincluding teachers.

The New York University of Colombia and Emerson College of Boston tops the list of arrest numbers compiled by the ‘New York Times’, with 108 arrests each since April 17 last year. There have also been nearly a hundred arrests at the University of Southern California (Los Angeles), and dozens more in Texas, Indiana or Minnesota.

Other illustrious academic centers in the country, such as Harvard, Cornell, Berkeley or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, have also organized these protest camps. At Columbia University, the protest, in the form of a large-scale encampment, will continue for at least the next few hours, after the dean’s office decided to suspend the ultimatum to the participants, who had until midnight from last Thursday to Friday to clear up the issue. the place.

In a statement released just an hour before the ultimatum expired, university president Minouche Shafik indicated that “there is a formal negotiation process underway” with the conveners that is “still ongoing.” “We have our demands, they have theirs,” he added.

The University of Los Angeles yesterday announced the suspension of this year’s graduation ceremony due to the prevailing tension.

The UN calls the reaction against demonstrators ‘hysteria’

The UN Special Rapporteur for problems with freedom of expression, Irene Khanhas criticized the “hysteria” in the United States against the recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations on the country’s university campuses, and has assured that the right to protest is violated after hundreds of arrests.

“Legitimate expression must be protected, but unfortunately there is a hysteria that is taking over the United States,” Khan said during an interview with the UN news portal, referring to the forced resignation of the rectors of numerous universities in the country after they were fired. accused of allowing anti-Semitic speeches and actions, referring to the aforementioned protests.

Khan has asked that hate speech not be mixed “with criticism of Israel as a political entity and as a state,” and has expressed that “criticizing Israel is completely legitimate under international law.”

Political reactions

The situation is such that political figures such as the country’s president have spoken out this week: Joe Biden, who last Monday simultaneously criticized both “the anti-Semitic protests” and “those who do not understand what is happening to the Palestinians.” The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahuhas described them as “anti-Semitic.”

The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinkenpointed out in Beijing on Friday that he understands and has said “the frustration of the students” very well “respect” their right to demonstrate“It is a hallmark of our democracy.”

The Republican candidate for the White House and former president of the country, Donald Trumpin turn has a openly hostile line against the demonstrators and their concentrations, which he has even compared as infinitely more dangerous than the 2017 far-right marches in Charlottesville (Virginia).

The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogandescribed this Friday as ‘fascist’ is the reaction of the authorities of the United States on the protests. “We have seen how those who have lectured us for years about democracy and freedom of expression and assembly suddenly become fascists when it comes to Israel and its interests,” the Turkish president noted.