Campus demonstrations by students protesting the ongoing Gaza war in Ivy League universities show no signs of ending. In the latest incident, authorities in Harvard University reported that a protester replaced the US flag with the Palestinian one, according to a report in the New York Post. The American flag is normally put over the statue of John Harvard, the founder of the university.
The flag-raising incident happened shortly after 6:30 pm (local time) on Saturday, according to The Harvard Crimson, the student newspaper of the university. A total of three flags were hoisted at the campus, the report said.
In a statement to the New York Post, Harvard University spokesperson said, “The flags raised by protesters over University Hall were removed by Harvard facilities staff.” The spokesperson added, “The actions are a violation of University policy, and the individuals involved will be subject to disciplinary action.”
Despite this, anti-Israel protesters continued to make their protest known. “Free, free Palestine,” and “We flay for Palestine” could be heard across campus at the time the American flag was believed to have been replaced.
Harvard University president Claudine Gay had resigned in January for her perceived inability to control anti-Semitic protests. Her resignation which was demanded by far-right politicians, has, however, not quelled the protests.
Other Ivy League universities have also faced their share of problems on this issue. Columbia University president Nemat Shafik came under fire after she allowed the police on campus – the first time this has happened since 1968 – where over 100 students were arrested. According to the NYT more than 200 individuals found themselves arrested following protests at Northeastern University, Arizona State University, Indiana University, and Washington University in St Louis.
Reacting to the protests, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that “antisemitic mobs have taken over leading universities,” and called for them to be stopped.
