Protests Escalate at US Universities as Palestinian Flag Raised at Harvard amid Israel-Hamas Conflict

Pro-Palestinian protests have been ongoing at college campuses in the US, with over 275 people being arrested over the weekend. The demonstrations initially began at Columbia University in New York over a week ago and have since spread rapidly to other campuses.

At Harvard University, protesters raised a Palestinian flag in a location typically reserved for the US flag, and at the Washington Hilton Hotel, an enormous Palestinian flag was unfurled from a top-floor window during the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Arrests were made at various campuses, including Northeastern University, Washington University, Arizona State University, and Indiana University.

Clashes between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators were reported at UCLA, where a tent encampment was established last week. President Joe Biden has taken notice of the nationwide protests, with the White House emphasizing the need for the demonstrations to remain peaceful.

The campus activists involved in the protests are calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s conflict with Hamas and are urging colleges to sever ties with Israel and companies that they believe profit from the conflict in Gaza. University administrators are facing a significant challenge as they try to balance their commitment to free expression with concerns that the protests have turned into instances of anti-Semitism and hate speech.

President Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reaffirming his stance on a potential invasion of the Gaza border city of Rafah. The Israeli-Hamas conflict originated after Hamas operatives conducted an unprecedented attack on Israeli towns on October 7, resulting in around 1,170 deaths and approximately 250 people being taken hostage.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has led to the deaths of more than 34,000 people in Gaza.