Pro-Palestine Protest Movement Sweeps Across the Globe: Tensions Rise on Campuses Worldwide
Pro-Palestine protests have been taking place at American universities since mid-April, with over 60 campuses experiencing protests and occupations. Over 2,000 people have been arrested in connection with these protests, and images of police in riot gear clearing out Columbia and UCLA have circulated around the world. These protests have spread to universities in Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East.
In Australia, pro-Palestine protests have been taking place in at least seven universities in recent weeks. Tensions arose at the University of Queensland in Brisbane between students in solidarity with Palestinians and those with Israeli flags. The group Students for Palestine UQ is calling on university leaders to cut ties with Israeli companies, particularly those in the arms industry. Similar protests have spread to other campuses in Australia, including the University of Sydney.
In Canada, protesters at McGill University, University of Toronto, and University of British Columbia demand an end to ties with Israeli companies. Attempts by police to disperse protesters have been met with legal challenges, as demonstrated by a Quebec superior court judge’s rejection of an injunction at McGill University.
In France, pro-Palestinian demonstrations at universities like Sciences Po and the Sorbonne led to police intervention to clear out camps. Students at these universities expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people while facing criticism for alleged anti-Semitic and anti-Israel activities. Dialogue is urged by both sides to address the concerns and tensions on campus.
In India, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi saw pro-Palestine protests in solidarity with Columbia students. Students at JNU called for the university not to provide a platform to representatives of nations complicit in actions by Israel
