College protests updates: Police begin dismantling University of Chicago encampment

Police entered the campus encampment early Tuesday, WLS reported.

ByNadine El-Bawab, Bill Hutchinson, and Julia Reinstein
Last Updated: May 7, 2024, 2:01 PM EDT

Protests have broken out at colleges and universities across the country in connection with the war in Gaza.

Many pro-Palestinian protesters are calling for their colleges to divest of funds from Israeli military operations, while some Jewish students on the campuses have called the protests antisemitic and said they are scared for their safety.

The student protests -- some of which have turned into around-the-clock encampments -- have erupted throughout the nation following arrests and student removals at Columbia University in New York City. Students at schools including Yale University, New York University, Harvard University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Southern California and more have launched protests.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
May 01, 2024, 2:25 PM EDT

Columbia to hold final exams remotely

Columbia University announced final exams will be held remotely amid a tense campus climate, according to a letter sent out by the university's provost.

"In order to address the concerns of our members in an evolving campus environment, all academic activities for schools on the Morningside Heights campus will be fully remote for the remainder of the semester (with carve-outs noted below). Any remaining class meetings, review sessions, or office hours should be held fully remotely, and all final exams and other final assessments should be fully remote," Columbia said in a statement.

All final exams scheduled for Friday will be automatically rescheduled for May 10.

May 01, 2024, 2:11 PM EDT

34 arrested at University of Wisconsin-Madison

A total of 34 people were arrested while emptying a pro-Palestinian encampment at University of Wisconsin-Madison Wednesday, the university said.

The majority of those arrested have been released with no citation issued, but four people have been booked, according to the university. The charges they are facing include attempted disarming a police officer, resisting arrest, attempted escape and battery to a police officer.

Police gather as they start removing tents erected by protesters from the campus of University of Wisconsin in Madison on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 in Madison, Wis.
Todd Richmond/AP

May 01, 2024, 12:31 PM EDT

4 police officers injured as University of Wisconsin-Madison empties encampment

Four police officers were injured at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where police were dispersing an encampment of protesters on the Library Mall.

Three of the four officers sustained injuries "directly related to the physical resistance," according to the university. A state trooper sustained injuries when a protester allegedly "struck their head with a skateboard."

May 01, 2024, 12:13 PM EDT

'I'm sorry we reached this point,' Columbia president says

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik said that tensions on campus had "rose to new heights" when a group of protesters broke into Hamilton Hall and barricaded themselves. Shafik said it pushed the university "to the brink," according to a letter sent to the Columbia University community Wednesday.

"I know I speak for many members of our community in saying that this turn of events has filled me with deep sadness. I am sorry we reached this point," Shafik said.

The NYPD said it arrested 119 people at Columbia Tuesday night, but it has not yet revealed how many of those arrested are students.

"The University offered to consider new proposals on divestment and shareholder activism, to review access to our dual degree programs and global centers, to reaffirm our commitment to free speech, and to launch educational and health programs in Gaza and the West Bank. Some other universities have achieved agreement on similar proposals. Our efforts to find a solution went into Tuesday evening, but regrettably, we were unable to come to resolution," Shafik said.

Negotiations broke down between the university and members of the encampment after Columbia refused to divest from companies linked to Israel and the war in Gaza.