At least 16 people were arrested at Yale University after riot police intervened in a pro-Palestinian protest on campus. The arrests occurred when nearly 200 pro-Palestinian protesters gathered at Beinecke Plaza, calling on Yale to divest from military weapons manufacturers, according to a report by the independent Yale Daily News.
The protesters had been camping at Beinecke Plaza for three days, and police initially warned them to clear out or risk arrest. When the protesters didn’t comply, the police began cuffing and arresting them. Among those detained were students, who were then transported away on Yale University shuttle buses.
Journalists from Yale Daily News reported they were also threatened with arrest if they did not vacate the area. Video footage from the scene, shared on X, depicted protesters locking arms around a flagpole as police moved in. The demonstrators were seen singing “We shall not be moved” and chanting slogans such as “We will free Palestine within our lifetime” and “Books not bombs.”
Yale’s president, Peter Salovey, sent an email to students on Sunday, indicating that the university would “pursue disciplinary actions according to its policies.” He noted that while many protesters acted peacefully, some reports suggested incidents of “intimidation and harassment, pushing in crowds, removal of the plaza flag, and other harmful acts.”
Yale does not tolerate behavior that threatens or harasses its Jewish, Muslim, or other communities, Salovey emphasized.
The arrests at Yale follow similar events at Columbia University last week, where more than 100 people were detained after the NYPD cleared a pro-Palestinian protest on campus. Those demonstrators demanded the university divest from “companies complicit in genocide.” The police action at Columbia led to the arrest of Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar, along with 107 others.
Hirsi, who is an organizer for Columbia University’s Apartheid Divest group, later tweeted, “I just received notice that I am 1 of 3 students suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.” She vowed that their protest group would continue until their demands were met, which included divestment from certain companies and full amnesty for all students facing disciplinary action.
Tensions on US university campuses have been high following the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas and the ensuing Israeli response in Gaza. These events have fueled protests and debates across various academic institutions, leading to increased police presence and disciplinary actions.
