A peaceful anti-Israel protest of university students, joined by some college professors, was met with violence as the State of Georgia police force used tear gas and tasers to disperse the protesters at Emory University in Atlanta.
"We are demanding total institutional divestment from Israeli apartheid and Cop City at all Atlanta colleges and universities," an organizer of the protest said. "We are occupying Emory, not because it is the only institution that is complicit in genocide and police militarization, but because its ties are some of the strongest."
The encampment also included students from several nearby universities. They were rallying against what they termed "the genocide of Palestinians" by Israel and against Cop City – a $109 million police training center, a local police and fire department training center currently under construction.
According to the university, several dozen people had "trespassed" on its campus and warned that it would "not tolerate vandalism or other criminal activity." Clifton Crais, a history professor, was walking to class when several students rushed up to him. "Please, please contact President Fenves," they begged, referring to the university president, Gregory Fenves. "Ask him to not call the police." The professor dashed off a one-line email on his phone to Fenves; Enku Gelaye, the dean of campus life; and Ravi Bellamkonda, the provost. "I do hope you will not summon the Atl police," he wrote.
It was too late. Members of the Emory Police Department, Atlanta Police Department (APD) and Georgia State Patrol were called to the scene. When they arrived, the rallyists were indiscriminately attacked with pepper bullets, tear gas and tasers for the simple act of camping out on a school lawn as per the organizers. Within minutes, law enforcement had arrested 28 people, 20 of whom were "Emory community members," according to a statement from the school. Three faculty members and an unclear number of students from Emory and other Atlanta schools were also arrested.
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Meanwhile, a video of the incident showed several officers holding down a handcuffed man, as one of them appears to fire a taser into his leg. "Extremely disturbing footage. Atlanta cops tasing a restrained student protester at Emory University minutes ago," @JoshuaPHilll posted on X, formerly Twitter. Social media users were naturally enraged by the police’s treatment of the protesters. Cops confirmed they used "chemical irritants" but stressed they did not "deploy rubber bullets," contrary to some reports circulating online.
Pro-Palestinian campus demonstrations were triggered a recent protest at Columbia University in New York, which then spread to 40 universities and colleges in the U.S. and Canada, according to NBC News. On Thursday, April 25, police reportedly targeted encampments at Indiana University Bloomington and Ohio State University. (Related: Pro-Gaza protester marches towards NYPD headquarters after police in riot gear stormed Columbia University to shut down "Gaza Solidarity" camp, arrest students and faculty.)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed the U.S. police crackdown, calling the protesters "anti-Semitic mobs" and comparing them to Nazi sympathizers in the 1930s.
Protesters risk final exams, financial aid and graduation for Anti-Israel protests
The nationwide protests slamming Israel for its violent genocidal attacks in Gaza and the U.S. involvement in its rollout have just cemented the statement that the students and professors won't quit until they get their demands – that is for the U.S. government to stop funding and supporting Netanyahu's continued war in Gaza.
Now, many students are awaiting the consequences of taking part in these demonstrations. For many, final exams, financial aid, and even graduation are on the line and their plight has become a central part of the protests. Students and professors alike have demanded amnesty but the question is would universities and law enforcement clear the charges and withhold other consequences or whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students into their adult lives?
According to Fox News, the terms of the suspensions vary from campus to campus. What started at Columbia has turned into a nationwide showdown between students and administrators over protests and the limits of free speech. In the past 10 days, hundreds of students have been arrested, suspended, put on probation, and, in rare cases, expelled from colleges including Yale University, the University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University and the University of Minnesota.
Meanwhile, there is no stopping more than 200 anti-Israel protesters who have erected around 45 tents on Yale's cross-campus green, per the Yale Daily News. Approximately 10 to 12 officers were already on the scene as soon as the activity began. Protesters were blocking access to the green with two human chains, according to the paper.
Yale police chief Anthony Campbell has not confirmed whether the department will make any arrests, saying that was up to university administrators. "Our plans for now are to just sit tight," Campbell was quoted as saying. He said later he would be in contact with administrators who will decide how the Yale Police Department should proceed.
Visit Revolt.news to read more stories on nationwide protests of university and college students against Israel's violent attacks in Gaza.
Watch the video below that talks about protests continuing to break out on campuses nationwide.
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