Caught on camera: Protestors hoisted Palestinian flag instead of American flag at Harvard University
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Cambridge, Massachusetts, US
Student protesters waved Palestinian flags in Harvard Yard, sparking controversy on campus. (screen grab)
Nationwide campus protests begin in response to Israel’s attack on Gaza
Student protesters at Harvard University sparked controversy this week when Palestinian flags were waved over the statue of John Harvard, after whom the prestigious US university is named. The act was seen as a provocative display of support for Palestine at Ivy College amid Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Saturday’s incident unfolded when a group of protesters hoisted flags over the statue of John Harvard, a spot usually reserved for the American flag or flags of visiting foreign dignitaries. As the flags fluttered in the wind, chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “From river to sea, Palestine will be free” echoed across the yard. harvard crimson,
‘Violation of university policy’
Harvard spokesman Jonathan L. Swain condemned the action as a “violation of university policy” and said those involved would face disciplinary action. Despite Harvard staff removing the flags, tensions rose as protesters expressed their disagreement, leading to a standoff with administrators.
The threat of disciplinary action, including withholding of degrees, looms over protesters, especially as Harvard’s commencement ceremonies approach. The encampment, which started earlier in the week, has become a focal point of unrest, with hundreds of students facing possible consequences for continued protest.
Read more: US government calls for ‘peaceful’ campus protests after hundreds of Palestinian supporters were detained over the weekend
‘Wave of demonstrations’
The wave of demonstrations began at Columbia University in New York but has since spread rapidly across the country. Although many campuses have remained peaceful, the number of detained protesters is rising rapidly. These include 100 at Northeastern University in Boston, 80 at Washington University in St. Louis, 72 at Arizona State University and 23 at Indiana University.
As demonstrations continue on college campuses, the US federal government insisted on Sunday that pro-Palestine protests that have rocked universities must remain peaceful as police arrested about 275 people at four different campuses over the weekend .
“We certainly respect the right to have peaceful protests,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told ABC. But, he added, “We absolutely condemn the anti-Semitic language we have heard recently and certainly condemn all hate speech and threats of violence.”
(with agency input)
