Harvard University’s pro-Palestinian encampment is one of the few remaining occupation sites supporting Hamas. Police cleared demonstrators from nearby MIT and the University of Pennsylvania. MIT’s student newspaper, The Tech, reported that police arrived early Friday morning to remove the encampment, giving protesters a 15-minute notice to vacate. President Kornbluth later explained that the removal was necessary due to safety concerns. In response, protesters held a rally on campus, chanting anti-police slogans.
At the University of Pennsylvania, 33 people, including students, were arrested during the clearing of the encampment. Police found chains that could be used as weapons among the protesters. The campus, previously known for its large Jewish population, has seen an increase in anti-Semitic rhetoric and protests following the Hamas attack in October.
Harvard has directed the remaining protesters in Harvard Yard to leave, placing them on an “involuntary absence.” Graduation ceremonies are scheduled for May 22 in the Yard. Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Truth Voices and the host of Truth Voices Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot.
