Students at Columbia University established encampments to urge the institution to divest from Israel, while at the University of Southern California (USC), students gathered in solidarity with Asna Tabassum, advocating for her reinstatement after her commencement speech was canceled due to her support for Palestine.

Thursday saw tensions mounting at Columbia University as the New York Police Department intervened to dismantle student protests regarding Israel's conflict with Gaza, reportedly under the direction of the university president, leading to several arrests.

Early Wednesday morning, hundreds of students erected tents and initiated a camp-in at the heart of Columbia University's renowned central campus, demanding a ceasefire and urging the university to divest financially from Israel.

In response, President Minouche Shafik issued a stern warning. In an email to students, she stated, "I sanctioned the New York Police Department to initiate the clearance of the encampment on the South Lawn of the Morningside campus, established by students.

I took this exceptional action due to the extraordinary circumstances. The individuals behind the encampment breached numerous rules and policies."

According to the student newspaper, the lawn had been designated as a "free speech zone" in accordance with the university's latest protest policy. However, despite this designation, several students were reportedly removed, arrested, and suspended from campus, with some also facing eviction from their on-campus housing.

On Thursday, three students, including Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Minnesota Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar, were suspended from both Columbia University and its sister institution, Barnard College, due to their involvement in the encampment.

In California, students at the University of Southern California (USC) convened to protest the cancellation of a commencement speech by the school's Muslim valedictorian, Asna Tabassum. Her support for Palestine on social media led USC officials to cite "security risks" as grounds for cancellation. This decision has sparked significant criticism from students who argue that Tabassum, who minored in resistance to genocide, is being unjustly silenced for her opinions.

Recent reports and social media footage depict a sizable, peaceful assembly on USC's campus in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon. Demonstrators held signs and chanted "let her speak" in solidarity with Tabassum.

The encampment at Columbia University was orchestrated by a coalition of student-led groups, including Columbia University Apartheid Divest, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace. However, these organizations have been suspended by the school for allegedly violating university policies related to hosting campus events repeatedly.

Columbia University remains a focal point of clashes between university authorities and students advocating for a ceasefire and divestment from Israel. Since Israel's military offensive on the Gaza strip following the October 7 attack by Hamas on southern Israel, tensions have flared on college campuses nationwide. Allegations of harassment involving both Jewish and Muslim students have emerged at Columbia, with reports even alleging a chemical weapon attack on students supporting Palestinians, resulting in injuries.

Civil rights activist, academic, and 2024 independent presidential candidate Cornel West joined the students camping out on Thursday. Addressing the crowd through a megaphone, he expressed solidarity, stating, "I stand in solidarity with each and every one of you because we are in solidarity with human suffering, especially when it is imposed by human beings – and I’m talking about the indescribable genocide of our precious Palestinians in Gaza."

On Wednesday, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik testified before the education and workforce committee in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives regarding allegations of rampant antisemitism on campus. Last year, the presidents of other prestigious institutions, including Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, were also questioned by the committee on the same issue. Subsequently, Harvard's Claudine Gay and the University of Pennsylvania's Elizabeth Magill stepped down from their positions as presidents.