Over 2,000 Pro-Palestinian Protesters Have Been Arrested Across US Campuses

[Ahmod]

Over 2,000 people have been arrested during pro-Palestinian protests on US college campuses, with over 300 arrested on Wednesday night and over 90 at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, according to the Associated Press.

Dozens arrested at New Hampshire and Buffalo universities, while Oregon police entered a occupied library. President Joe Biden defended peaceful protests, stating that "authoritarian nation" doesn't suppress dissent.

US President Biden defended protests in Gaza, stating that they are not peaceful and that there is the right to protest but not to cause chaos. The protests are part of a movement to force schools to divest from businesses supporting the war in Gaza, reflecting the war's significant impact on US politics. Over 34,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel began dismantling Hamas.

Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages in an attack on Israel, prompting the US to provide military support to Israel. Student protests have grown since an encampment at Columbia University in New York, with faculty members joining or supporting protesters. Police and universities have responded with force, arresting hundreds and clearing out protest camps.

At least 1,000 protesters gathered at UCLA's campus on Wednesday night, causing chaos as police ripped down plywood and pallets used to reinforce their encampment. Students were attacked with projectiles, fireworks, and chemical agents. The campus quieted down by Thursday morning, with graffiti on buildings promoting "Free Palestine" and "Bleep Israel."

Protesters at universities across the US have been arrested and arraigned, with many charged with criminal trespass. At Dartmouth, a peaceful protest was allowed to exist, with police responding with force. At UCLA, police broke up a demonstration at Columbia, while at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, a scrum broke out. Four officers were injured, including a state trooper, and charged with battering law enforcement. Authorities have also made arrests and cleared protest encampments at various colleges, including Brown University in Rhode Island. Student protests have also emerged in Canada, the UK, and Australia.