Police broke up the tents of pro-Palestinian protesters on several other US university campuses. Several protestors were arrested on Friday.
Police raided anti-Israel protesters at the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Friday. Hours earlier, police fired tear gas at the University of Arizona to disperse protesters and dismantle tents.
Yesterday, Philadelphia and campus police dispersed the protesters. University officials said protesters were warned. They were given the opportunity to leave the protest site if they did not want to be arrested.
Initially, officials reported that 33 people, including university teachers, had been arrested. Seven of them are students. They have been charged with trespassing. Later, the officials said that 9 students were among the arrested persons. And the rest have nothing to do with the protests at the University of Pennsylvania.
About three weeks ago, the first anti-Israel protests began at Columbia University in New York City. Then it spread to other universities. At various universities, pro-Palestinian students pitched tents on campus and started protests. Protesters are demanding that university authorities cut business ties with Israel and press for a cease-fire in Gaza.
READ MORE : Protests spread to 13 countries, arrests continue in the United States
Police entered the premises of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at around four in the morning on Friday. They then cordoned off the protest site and gave the protestors about 15 minutes to move out. The president of the university said that 10 students were arrested for not moving out after being warned.
Last Thursday night, the police also conducted an operation against the protesters on the campus of the University of Arizona. Protesters’ tents were also demolished there. A university spokesperson said two people have been arrested.
According to AP estimates, around 2,900 people have been arrested at 57 US colleges and universities since the protests began. This has been calculated based on information received from various university authorities and law enforcement agencies.
THE NAIS IS OFFICIAL EDITOR ON NAIS NEWS