US Students rise up for Palestine
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- Created: Wednesday, 12 June 2024 11:00
- Written by FRFI
In mid-April, students in universities across the US set up encampments on university grounds demanding total divestment from Israeli companies and the severing of academic ties to Israeli institutions. The first university encampment was set up by Columbia University (New York) students on 17 April 2024, shortly followed by similar protests in 130 college and university campuses in 45 US states. With no opportunist forces to control the movement from within, the state response was immediate and violent: almost 3,000 arrests, security and police forces in riot gear dragging students across the ground, pepper spraying them, tasering them and storming their university buildings with guns. Zionists thugs were allowed free rein to act as auxiliaries of the state and terrorise and attack encampments while police looked on. University administrations collaborated with police and several organisers face expulsion. Though the majority of the encampments have now been destroyed, they have succeeded in raising consciousness around the onslaught on Gaza and have inspired students at universities across Australia, Britain and Europe to set up similar encampments, many of which are ongoing as we go to press. Reagan Gray and Ria Aibhilin report.
