In Pictures

From LA to NY, pro-Palestine college campus protests grow strong in US

Students keep protesting at universities across the US as law enforcement steps in to remove protesters from campuses.

Pro-Palestinian students protest at an encampment on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), in Los Angeles on April 26 — Pro-Palestinian students protest at an encampment on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles, or UCLA. [Frederic J. Brown/AFP]

Students at US universities protesting against Israel’s war on Gaza have pledged to continue occupying school grounds despite growing efforts by university leaders and police to clear the demonstrations.

As the protests that began at Columbia University in New York spread outside the United States, demonstrators nationwide are demanding that schools slash financial ties to Israel and divest from companies they say are enabling Israel’s nearly seven-month war on Gaza that has killed at least 34,388 people and 77,437 others.

Decisions to call in law enforcement to remove protesters have led to hundreds of arrests in various universities. They have also prompted faculty members at California, Georgia and Texas universities to initiate or pass largely symbolic votes of no confidence in their leadership.

But the tensions pile pressure on school officials, who are already scrambling to resolve the protests with graduation ceremonies set for next month.

Pro-Palestinian demonstration encampment is seen at the Columbia University, Friday, April 26 — The pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia University on Friday. [Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo]

George Washington University professors Rochelle Davis, from right, and Will Youmans lead a group of professors during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Friday, April 26 — George Washington University professors Rochelle Davis and Will Youmans, from right, lead a group of professors during a pro-Palestinian protest. [Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo]

Students and Pro-Palestinian supporters occupy a plaza at New York University (NYU) campus, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in New York City, U.S., April 26 — Students and pro-Palestinian supporters occupy a plaza at the New York University campus. [David Dee Delgado/Reuters]

Signs are displayed outside a tent encampment at Northwestern University on Friday, April 26 — Signs are displayed outside a tent encampment at Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois. Students want the university to divest from funds connected to Israel or that profit from its war in Gaza. [Teresa Crawford/AP Photo]

Pro-Palestinian students and faculty of Drexel University, Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania demonstrate as they spend night where they erected an encampment at the University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia on April 25 — Pro-Palestinian students and faculty of Drexel University, Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania have erected an encampment at the University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia. [Matthew Hatcher/AFP]

Pro-Palestinian protesters rally at the University of Nevada, Reno, campus Friday, April 26 — Pro-Palestinian protesters rally at the University of Nevada, Reno. [Scott Sonner/AP Photo]

Law enforcement officers stand guard as students and pro-Palestinian supporters occupy a plaza at New York University (NYU) campus, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in New York City, U.S., April 26 — Law enforcement officers stand guard as students and pro-Palestinian supporters occupy a plaza at the New York University campus. [David Dee Delgado/Reuters]