Tension, protests grow on campuses as Israel-Hamas war intensifies

(NewsNation) — No demonstrators were protesting Israel’s war in Gaza Tuesday at the University of Southern California, but the campus is among those on the West Coast where tension is simmering.

The university recently canceled its valedictorian’s graduation speech, citing safety concerns after she received backlash for posting about aid for Gaza.

It’s one of the signs college unrest is beginning to spread in California.

In far Northern California, students at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, have taken over a campus building.

They are declaring solidarity with pro-Palestinian students at other colleges. The school is now closed through Wednesday. Administrators are calling the situation “dangerous and volatile.”

Local police made a number of arrests, and on Monday night, protesters gathered outside the jail to demand the release of activists who were taken into custody.

At the University of California, Berkeley, where anti-war protests became a staple in the 1960s, students are also calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas war.

Activists have set up encampments outside an administration building, demanding the school end business with any companies linked to Israel. There are three weeks left in the current semester, and the university is taking steps to ensure there are no disruptions to school operations, officials said in a statement.

They also noted there are no plans to change the university’s investment policy.

At the University of Southern California, a number of recent protests have been sparked by the school’s decision to cancel its valedictorian’s commencement speech. Pro-Palestinian valedictorian Asna Tabassum was accused of antisemitic views. She and the Council on American-Islamic Relations have pushed back against those allegations.

The university has since canceled all speeches at its May 10 commencement.