Over 40 individuals were taken into custody on Friday as law enforcement authorities took action to disband pro-Palestinian encampments at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Arizona, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Demonstrators protesting against the Israeli military actions in Gaza had established tent communities at various prominent American universities in the preceding three weeks, commencing at Columbia University in New York City.
At approximately 4 a.m. on Friday, police officers in riot gear encircled the encampment at MIT, instructing protesters to vacate the area within 15 minutes. Subsequently, ten students who opted to remain were apprehended, as confirmed by MIT President Sally Kornbluth.
A group of protesters outside the encampment, chanting “pro-Palestinian slogans,” was dispersed by 6 a.m., as reported by the university.
Despite the arrests, undergraduate student and MIT Jews for Ceasefire organizer Quinn Perian expressed determination, stating that the movement would only grow stronger. Perian emphasized that the students would persist until MIT severs its connections with the Israeli military.
In response to the arrests, Kornbluth emphasized MIT’s commitment to upholding both free speech and campus safety, noting that the ongoing protests had posed challenges in meeting these dual responsibilities.
Following the MIT incident, law enforcement officials at the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with Philadelphia police, intervened at the encampment that had been established for over two weeks. Among the 33 individuals detained and charged with “defiant trespass” were students and faculty members.
Campus police at the University of Arizona dismantled the protest camp in Tucson late on Thursday, citing policy violations and safety risks due to protesters reinforcing their tent city with wooden pallets.
