Dozens of protesters were arrested during a pro-Palestine rally at Yale University in Connecticut on Monday, marking the latest law enforcement crackdown against on-campus demonstrations in the last week. The protest at Yale, which demands that the university divest itself from Israel and institutions and organizations that support it, mirrors similar gatherings at other Ivy League universities in recent days, including an ongoing demonstration at Columbia University in New York that has forced a move to online classes after threats to Jewish students.
According to The Yale Daily News, more than 45 people were detained in Yale’s Beinecke Plaza and charged with criminal trespassing, a Class A misdemeanor, after setting up tents for a large-scale sit-in on Friday. Police had previously threatened the crowd of roughly 200 protesters with arrest if the encampment was not removed by Sunday night.
Footage shared on social media early Monday morning showed police in riot gear storming the plaza, forcibly dispersing the protesters and escorting handcuffed detainees to waiting shuttle buses.
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Following the arrests, a larger group of nearly 300 protesters shut down a nearby intersection, chanting pro-Palestine slogans and blocking traffic. New Haven police are on the scene, but do not currently have plans to arrest the activists as long as there is “no violence or threats.”
Yale University President Peter Salovey indicated that the school will “pursue disciplinary actions” against students who violated campus guidelines. Salovey pointed to specific examples of violent and unruly behavior over the weekend, including the removal of the American flag from the plaza, verbal and physical intimidation, and one incident in which a Jewish student journalist was reportedly stabbed in the eye with a Palestinian flag.
“Putting up structures, defying the directives of university officials, staying in campus spaces past allowed times, and other acts that violate university policies and guidelines create safety hazards and impede the work of our university,” Salovey said. “We are continuing to speak with students who are participating in protests so they understand the disciplinary consequences of actions that violate Yale’s policies.”
As the situation at Yale continues to evolve, similar demonstrations are ongoing at other prestigious universities across the country, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and other schools in the area.
At New York’s Columbia University, more than 100 people were arrested at an anti-Israel rally on campus last week. Among those charged in connection with the protest was Isra Hirsi, the 21-year-old daughter of Minnesota Congressional Rep. Ilhan Omar, a student at nearby Barnard College. On Monday, Columbia announced that classes would be held online rather than in-person to “deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps.”
Protesters at Columbia had erected tent encampments in several locations throughout the campus, refusing to leave until the school divested itself of all ties to Israel.
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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