The students of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of the famous educational institutions in the United States, are protesting in the campus to stop the Israeli aggression in Gaza. The authorities called the police to the campus early last Friday morning and demolished the tent. Several students were detained. On this day, the authorities of Harvard University, another well-known institution in the United States, said that they have started the temporary expulsion of protesting students.
On April 17, Columbia University students in New York, United States, started a tent protest on the campus to demand an end to the war in Gaza and to sever all kinds of relations with Israeli institutions and institutions related to Israel. Later, protests spread in more than one and a half hundred educational institutions of the country. Protests are taking place in universities around the world, including at least a dozen countries in Europe.
A team of riot police entered MIT around 4:00 a.m. local time on Friday. There they gave the students 15 minutes to leave the makeshift tent. The police attacked the students if they did not leave the tent. The tent was demolished and at least 10 students were arrested. On this day, the police destroyed tents in several other universities in the United States.
Earlier on Monday, police tried to disperse protesting students at MIT. But the police retreated in the face of resistance from the students.
MIT authorities expelled dozens of students who had been protesting since earlier this week before tearing down student tents. They will not be able to participate in educational programs and graduation ceremonies.
But the protesting students said they were adamant about MIT’s demand to sever ties with the Israeli military. Thus their protest cannot be suppressed.
According to the US news agency AP, about 2,900 students from 57 universities and colleges in the United States have been detained so far.
Ride the American police
In addition to MIT, police broke up the tents of anti-war protesters at several other US universities on Friday. Dozens of protesters were also arrested.
The police attacked the protesters at the University of Pennsylvania. At least 33 students were detained by the police after entering the campus early Friday morning.
The university authorities claimed that the protesting students were asked to leave the tent. But as the protesting students did not respond, the police forcefully dispersed them.
A few hours earlier, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters at the University of Arizona. Dozens of makeshift tents of students were demolished.
Expulsion begins at Harvard
The students of the famous Harvard University in the United States are protesting to demand the end of the Israeli army’s aggression in Gaza and to cut ties with Israel. They are protesting by pitching a tent in the campus. The university authorities started temporarily expelling the students who participated in the protest from Friday. Harvard University authorities and a Harvard organization called Palestine Solidarity Committee reported this information.
Expelled students cannot enter the campus. They will not be allowed to appear in the examination. At the same time, those who are residential students, their accommodation will be cancelled.
Harvard President (Interim) Alan Garber had earlier threatened expulsion if he participated in the protest. In a statement on Monday, he said, the overall educational environment is being negatively affected due to students protesting by pitching tents in the campus. The authorities are planning to expel the protesting students to normalize the situation.
Harvard authorities have issued a statement confirming the start of the expulsion of students who participated in the protest. However, the number of students who have been expelled is not known.
In a statement Friday, a Harvard spokeswoman said mandatory leave has begun for students who participated in the protest over disciplinary issues. This action will continue in the coming days.
THE NAIS IS OFFICIAL EDITOR ON NAIS NEWS