The Columbia University has begun suspending students who held pro-Palestinian protests, as they refused to disperse from the 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment', defying a deadline given by the Ivy League institution. This comes after talks between the US university and protesters broke down on Monday.
Cornell University also said that they are suspending students after they refused the offer to move the encampment to an alternate location.
Columbia President Minouche Shafik stated that the University will not divest from Israel, a key demand by the demonstrators. "While the University will not divest from Israel, the University offered to develop an expedited timeline for review of new proposals from the students," he said in a statement after the talks failed.
The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) saw a confrontation between pro-Palestine protesters and Israel supporters. Some demonstrators broke through a barrier that was placed to separate the two factions, and they shoved one another and shouted slogans and insults, and in some cases traded punches.
Over 20 campuses across various US states are witnessing pro-Palestine protests, and more than 800 students have been arrested this month alone in the Gaza solidarity protests.
