In pictures: The wave of protests against Gaza war at universities across the US

Sky News

2 May 2024 at 4:03 pm·2-min read

Demonstrations against the war in Gaza have intensified at US universities this week, with clashes erupting between students, counter-protesters and police.

Students at dozens of schools have rallied or camped out in recent days to oppose the Israel-Hamas war.

They have called on US President Joe Biden to do more to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and demanded schools divest from companies supporting Israel's government.

Here are pictures from the demonstrations held this week in Los Angeles, New York and elsewhere across the US.

New York City police arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators occupying an academic building on Columbia University campus and removed an encampment.

Supporters of Israel have been demonstrating at George Washington University in Washington, where pro-Palestinian students have also protested over the Israel-Hamas war.

The university is situated a few streets from the White House - which has defended free speech.

Mr Biden has denounced "antisemitic protests" and stressed that campuses must be safe, saying: "There is a right to protest but not a right to cause chaos."

At Portland State University, police officers held a protester who was trying to block officers from leaving the area with vans full of detained students.

There have been protests in Indiana too where demonstrators have pitched tents on campus.

Universities across the country have been accused of failing to protect Jewish students, and allowing antisemitism and harassment to fester.

The presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania - where protests have also taken place - have resigned after a storm of similar criticism.

At the University of New Hampshire, police took action to remove and arrest pro-Palestinian protesters who started setting up an encampment.

Texas State Troopers formed a line before pro-Palestinian students at the University of Texas in Dallas as they advanced to remove an encampment on the campus's Chess Plaza.

There have been demonstrations at St Louis University as well.

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