Dozens of American students arrested during pro-Palestinian protests, Mike Johnson calls for Columbia’s rector to resign

Last week, students built a tent camp at Columbia University in New York. They demand, among other things, that the university separate itself from arms manufacturers with ties to Israel. The rector called the police, several students were suspended or arrested, and the tent camp was demolished. Not much later, however, the tents were there again.

Dozens of students arrested at pro-Palestinian protests in US

Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian protests and subsequent arrests have spread, with at least 34 students arrested at the University of Texas, and at least 50 others detained by police at the University of Southern California.

Further north, at California State Polytechnic University, protesters barricaded themselves inside a university building with furniture, tents and chains. The campus went into lockdown. At Harvard, a tent camp was also set up on campus by students. They protest against the suspension of the university’s Palestinian Solidarity Committee and demand that the university distance itself from Israel.

“Lawless agitators”

House Speaker Mike Johnson visited Columbia’s campus Wednesday, flanked by several Republican members of Congress. He dismissed the demonstrations as criminal, “anti-Semitic” actions. According to Johnson, that anti-Semitism is “a virus in colleges and universities across the country.”

“It is appalling that Columbia has allowed these lawless seditionists and radicals to take power,” Johnson said. “If this is not contained quickly and if these threats and intimidation are not stopped, then it is time to call in the National Guard.” Behind crowd barriers, students booed during Johnson’s speech. “We can’t hear you,” they shouted.

Johnson also demanded the resignation of Columbia’s principal, Minouche Shafik, because he said she could not protect Jewish students from anti-Semitism and control the protests.

Reckless

Kathy Hochul, the Democratic governor of New York, called Johnson’s speech “polarizing” and said she had no plans to call in the National Guard. Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted authorities for their arrests and the “reckless, dangerous act” of calling police on nonviolent demonstrations.