FREE SPEECH
The spreading pro-Palestinian protests began at Columbia University in New York, where dozens of arrests were made last week after university authorities called in police to quell a protest encampment that some Jewish students said was threatening and anti-Semitic.
Demonstrators, including a number of Jewish students, have disavowed instances of anti-Semitism and criticised officials equating it with opposition to Israel.
As students and other demonstrators have camped out on school quads, occupied university buildings and disrupted campus activities, universities this week have affirmed their rights to free speech and peaceful protest.
But pro-Israel supporters and others worried about campus safety have also pointed to anti-Semitic incidents and allege that campuses are encouraging intimidation and hate speech.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters at Columbia on Wednesday that the demonstrations “place a target on the backs of Jewish students in the US”, adding that the National Guard could be brought in if the protests were not contained soon.
On Sunday, US President Joe Biden denounced “blatant anti-Semitism” that has “no place on college campuses”.
But the White House has also said that the president supports freedom of expression on US campuses.
Student protesters say they are expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where the death toll has topped 34,305, according to the Hamas-run health ministry and are calling on universities to divest from companies with ties to Israel.
US ally Israel launched its war in Gaza after the Hamas attack on Oct 7 that left around 1,170 people dead, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
