The student demonstrations in the United States against the war between Israel and Hamas do not stop, to such an extent that a new camp was established at Drexel University in Philadelphia during the weekend.
This caused the school to completely close its buildings, just one day after authorities thwarted a raid attempt in a school building on the neighboring campus of the University of Pennsylvania.
This situation occurred after hundreds of protesters took a March from Philadelphia City Hall heading west of the city last Saturday afternoon.
Through a statement, Drexel University reported that 75 dissatisfied protesters began to set up camp on the Korman esplanade of the campus, fortunately a dozen of the tents were still in that place and under police monitoring during Sunday, but without being able to access them because barricades had been placed. This without making arrests.
Drexel President John Fry said in a message that camping 'raises concerns understandable in relation to ensuring everyone's safety,' and cited what he said are 'many well-documented examples of hate speech and intimidating behavior at demonstrations on other campuses.'
Even university buildings were 'open'but only for those people who have authorization from Drexel security elements.
The authorities from Drexel They were monitoring the demonstration to ensure it was peaceful and that it would not disrupt normal operations, and that 'participants and bystanders will behave respectfully toward each other,' Fry added.
“We will be prepared to respond quickly to any problematic or threatening behavior by anyone,” Fry said.
He even promised to do not tolerate destruction of property, 'harassment or intimidation' of students or staff. Nor threatening behavior of any kind, including 'explicitly racist, anti-Semitic or Islamophobic' speech.
“Anyone who is not part of the Drexel community will not be allowed to “invade our buildings or residence halls,” he warned.
On Friday night, members of the University of Pennsylvania student organization against the invasion of Palestine announced that they would hold an action in the school's Fisher-Bennett Hall, inviting their followers to bring 'flags, pots , frying pans, noise-making targets, megaphones, and other items.
The university authorities detailed that That night 19 people were arrested, including six students from the University of Pennsylvania. While the public security division indicated that the agents managed to find 'lock picks and homemade metal shields', as well as exit doors blocked with plastic ties and barbed wire, windows covered with newspaper and cardboard, and blocked entrances.
So far the authorities reported that 7 people who were arrested would face felony charges, including the accusation of a person for assaulting a police officer. While a dozen were given summonses for not dispersing or following police orders.
Students leave graduation ceremony
During this Sunday, dozens of students from George Washington University they left the graduation ceremoniesinterrupting University President Ellen Granberg's speech, protesting the siege of Gaza and last week's removal of a campus protest encampment in which police used tear gas and dozens of arrests.
The ceremony was held at the base of the Washington Monument and It started peacefully with less than 100 protesters which were across the street from the Museum of African American History and Culture. But the moment President Granber began to speak, at least 70 graduate students shouted slogansthey took out signs and Palestinian flags.
The pressure facing US universities to suspend its financial ties with Israel It is growing, since the end of last year. But the current protests spread quickly after a police raid last Saturday at Columbia University.
