Meanwhile, at Cal Poly Humboldt in Northern California, a week-long occupation ended dramatically Tuesday morning when police moved in to arrest about three dozen protesters who had taken over buildings and locked down the campus. Was forced to do.
In Oregon, the campus of Portland State University was closed Tuesday “due to an ongoing incident” at the library, college officials said, after local media reported that about 50 protesters breached the building a day earlier. Did.
And Brown University reached an agreement under which student protesters would decamp in exchange for the institution voting to secede from Israel – a major concession from a typical American university during the protests.
Footage of police in riot gear called to various colleges has been seen around the world.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk expressed concern over the harsh measures taken to disperse protests on the campus, saying, “The right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly is fundamental to society.”
He said that “Inciting violence or hatred based on identity or viewpoint – whether real or imagined – must be strongly rejected.”
Shafiq said many Jewish students have fled Columbia's campus out of fear. “Anti-Semitic language and activities are unacceptable,” he said.
The Gaza war began when Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, killing about 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
During their attack, the militants also captured hostages, 129 of whom Israel estimates remain in Gaza, including 34 whom the military says are dead.
Israel's counterattacks have killed at least 34,535 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.
