Columbia University Cancels Classes Over Protests
NewsweekApr 21
Dozens of Pro-Palestinian Student Protestors Held at Yale, NYU
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The Facts
Protests against the Israel-Hamas war have spread nationwide in the US, with police arresting students at New York and Yale universities on Monday night.
At least 45 pro-palestine demonstrators from Yale university were arraigned for refusing to disband their encampments — constructed in "solidarity in Gaza" — at Beinecke Plaza.
The Spin
Pro-Israel narrative
Anti-Israel protests have escalated into explicit antisemitism at American university campuses following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, prompting disruptive encampments and harassment of Jewish students. The universities have often failed to intervene effectively. Demonstrators have chanted for violence, targeting Jewish students, leading to physical assaults and intimidation. Immediate action to combat such behavior is imperative.
Pro-Palestine narrative
American students must be backed to the hilt in their movement to support Palestine against Israeli occupation. They emphasize the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, criticizing the lack of mainstream attention and academic discourse on the matter. Universities must engage in critical discussions on geopolitics, racism, and colonialism. Curbing students' right to free speech has consequences for their well-being and academic freedom.