Campus Protests Escalate Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators at universities across the United States have intensified their protests, with recent actions including the retaking of a barricaded encampment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the occupation of a building at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). At MIT, protesters, including members of MIT Jews for a Ceasefire, are calling for an end to MIT’s research ties with the Israeli Ministry of Defense.

Meanwhile, at RISD, students have occupied a building in solidarity with the ongoing protest movement related to the Israel-Hamas war. The demonstrations are part of a broader movement demanding universities to divest from companies supporting the Israeli military. The protests have also disrupted university operations, with Columbia University canceling its main commencement ceremony due to ongoing protests on its campus.