Protests about the war in Gaza are happening at many universities across the United States. Here are the main points:
- Students are demonstrating against the war by camping on campus
- Police cleared out one protest camp at UCLA using smoke and stun grenades
- President Biden said protesters can speak freely but cannot cause chaos
- There is debate over whether universities should stop investing in companies linked to Israel
Why are students protesting the Gaza war? Let’s take a closer look.
Protest Camp Cleared at UCLA
On Wednesday night, many police officers in riot gear went to UCLA. They removed a protest camp that students had set up to demonstrate against the war in Gaza.
Police fired flares and stun grenades, creating loud bangs and thick smoke. Dozens of students were detained during the operation to remove the camp.
A local reporter named Dolores Quintana was there. She said the student protesters were “very nice” and “organized,” not violent anarchists. However, some people not affiliated with UCLA did cause trouble.
After the camp was taken down, UCLA shut down its campus on Thursday and Friday for safety reasons.
Biden: Protests Must Be Peaceful
In a speech on Thursday, President Joe Biden addressed the university protests about Gaza. He said students have freedom of speech to protest but not the right to “cause chaos.”
Biden stated that peaceful protest is allowed, but violence, destroying property, and intimidating people is against the law. He urged protesters to remain nonviolent and not disrupt university operations.
The president warned there is “no place for violence, racism or hate speech” during protests, even on college campuses. However, he said he would not change the administration’s policies regarding Gaza and Israel.
Calls for Universities to Divest
One key goal of the student protesters is to pressure universities to stop investing money in companies linked to Israel, such as the equity firm BlackRock. They believe this investment supports the war in Gaza.
Dolores Quintana, the reporter at UCLA, predicted the protests could continue all summer as students try to get colleges to divest from Israel-related companies.
While Biden said protests must remain peaceful, the students seem determined to keep pushing their cause through further demonstrations.
Future of the Protests
The protests are not ending even though the UCLA camp was taken down. Over 1,000 people have already been arrested. Universities everywhere are still very tense and upset.
Some people are worried the protests could affect the November presidential election. Biden wants young people to vote for him, but the demonstrations may make that more challenging.
For now, both sides are being urged to allow free speech while also maintaining order and safety. The debate continues over how universities should respond to these passionate student demonstrations.
What do you think about the university protests regarding Gaza? Should colleges divest from any companies linked to Israel? Leave a comment with your thoughts.
